Triple Energizer MeridianTE5

Waiguan 外關

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

Back of the forearm, 2 cun above the back wrist crease, midway across the gap between the radius and the ulna.

Luo-connecting pointEight confluent points — Yang Linking vessel, paired with Zulinqi (GB41)

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

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

Waiguan — 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.

Waiguan — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Radius · Ulna · Posterior interosseous artery

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

On this page

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

1Where is Waiguan?

Back of the forearm, 2 cun above the back wrist crease, midway across the gap between the radius and the ulna.

It faces PC6 directly, on the palm side.

Beneath the point

Radius · Ulna · Posterior interosseous artery

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: 2 cun (43.0 mm; 1 forearm cun = 21.49 mm) above the wrist crease, on the back skin midway between the radius and ulna.

2How do I find it on my body?

Palm down, take the back wrist crease (the level of TE4) as the start line.
Counting wrist crease to elbow as 12 cun, go 2 cun up (one sixth).
Press into the hollow between the radius and the ulna.

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

posterior interosseous artery: A thin artery running down the back of the forearm between the radius and ulna. It supplies the muscles on the back of the forearm.
wrist crease: The horizontal crease that forms at the wrist when it is slightly bent. There is one on the palm side and one on the back, and they are starting lines for measuring arm points.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

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?

Classified as the Luo-connecting point of the Triple Energizer meridian and the confluent point of the Yang Linking vessel, traditionally paired with Zulinqi (GB41) — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
The name means 'outer pass'; its counterpart on the palm side is Neiguan (PC6).

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Waiguan?

Back of the forearm, 2 cun above the back wrist crease, midway across the gap between the radius and the ulna. It faces PC6 directly, on the palm side.

How do I find Waiguan?

Palm down, take the back wrist crease (the level of TE4) as the start line. Counting wrist crease to elbow as 12 cun, go 2 cun up (one sixth). Press into the hollow between the radius and the ulna.

What should I watch out for?

Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousYangchi · TE4 Next →Zhigou · TE6

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 160
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points), p. 23
Korean anatomical terms: KMLE medical dictionary (Korean Medical Association terms)
Luo-connecting source: Lingshu ch. 10 (Jing Mai)
Eight confluent points source: Zhenjiu Daquan (Xu Feng, 1439), 'Song of the Eight Confluent Points' (Wikisource edition)
Classification and traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)

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.