Spleen MeridianSP17

Shidou 食竇

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

6 B-cun out from the front midline, in the gap below the fifth rib (fifth intercostal space).

See it in 3DRotate the body and peel back the skin to see the bones and muscles beneath.
Open the 3D Acupoint Map →

🖼See it in pictures

Shidou — ① Where on the body? — **① Where on the body?**

Shidou — Textbook view — skin on the left, muscle and bone underneath on the right — **Textbook view — skin on the left, muscle and bone underneath on the right**
Location and structures come from our 3D model; only the drawing style was refined with AI. Labels are added by us.

Shidou — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Abdominal part of pectoralis major muscle · Sternocostal head of pectoralis major muscle · Fifth rib

Rendered straight from the 3D model at the computed location. The glowing ring marks Shidou.

On this page

Where is Shidou?
How do I find it on my body?
Before you press
How has it been used traditionally?
FAQ

1Where is Shidou?

6 B-cun out from the front midline, in the gap below the fifth rib (fifth intercostal space).

It is on the front chest.

Beneath the point

Abdominal part of pectoralis major muscle · Sternocostal head of pectoralis major muscle · Fifth rib

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: skin on the line 6 cun (124.8 mm) from the front midline, at the height of the fifth intercostal space read directly at that line.

2How do I find it on my body?

The rib beside the sternal angle is the second rib; count down from it to the fifth intercostal space.
Take the 6 B-cun line, 2 B-cun outside the nipple line (4 B-cun).
Follow the rib gap out to that line and press.

Check · ST18 and KI22 sit further in along the same space, which curves rather than running straight across.

What is a “cun”?

A cun is a body-scaled unit of length. The precise way is to divide a bone length into equal parts (proportional bone cun); finger widths are a quick estimate.

📖 Words explained

sternocostal head of pectoralis major: The large middle part of pectoralis major, starting from the breastbone and upper rib cartilages. It pulls the arm in toward the body.
abdominal part of pectoralis major: The small lowest part of pectoralis major, starting from the sheath of the belly muscles. It pulls the arm down.
intercostal space: The gap between two ribs, felt with a fingertip as a slight groove between bone and bone. It is named after the rib above it (the gap below the first rib is the first intercostal space).
sternal angle: The slight horizontal ridge where the manubrium meets the body of the breastbone; slide a finger down from the notch at the base of the neck and it catches on it. The second rib attaches right beside it, so it is the starting mark for counting ribs.
chest wall: The wall around the chest organs, made of skin, muscle, ribs and the muscles between them. In places it is thinner than you might think.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

The pleura and lung lie just beneath the chest wall here.
Do not jab with pointed tools or dig in deeply.
Sudden breathlessness or chest pain is an emergency — call emergency services; do not try acupressure.
Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level.
Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

4How has it been used traditionally?

The name joins shi (food) and dou (cavity, passage).

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Shidou?

6 B-cun out from the front midline, in the gap below the fifth rib (fifth intercostal space). It is on the front chest.

How do I find Shidou?

The rib beside the sternal angle is the second rib; count down from it to the fifth intercostal space. Take the 6 B-cun line, 2 B-cun outside the nipple line (4 B-cun). Follow the rib gap out to that line and press. ST18 and KI22 sit further in along the same space, which curves rather than running straight across.

What should I watch out for?

The pleura and lung lie just beneath the chest wall here. Do not jab with pointed tools or dig in deeply. Sudden breathlessness or chest pain is an emergency — call emergency services; do not try acupressure. Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousFuai · SP16 Next →Tianxi · SP18

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 78
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points)
Korean anatomical terms and locating tips: KMCRIC Standard Acupoint DB (Korea)
Classification cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
Safety: Chinese Medicine Council of New Zealand, Safety in Clinical Practice Guidance (2023)

Positions computed from the WHO standard locations (2008) on Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0) · BodyParts3D © DBCLS. For reference only — not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. See a clinician if you are unwell.