‘Tǔ nà’ literally means ‘expelling and absorbing’—‘tǔ’ (to exhale, expel) and ‘nà’ (to inhale, absorb). In Daoist practice, it refers to a meditative breathing technique that emphasizes conscious, rhythmic control of inhalation and exhalation to regulate qi (vital energy), calm the mind, and promote physical harmony. Unlike ordinary breathing, tǔ nà involves deliberate slow breaths, often coordinated with movement or visualization, and is foundational in qigong, tai chi, and internal alchemy.

This term appears primarily in classical and modern Daoist texts, health cultivation manuals, and wellness contexts—not in everyday conversational Chinese. It carries strong cultural and philosophical resonance, implying intentional energetic exchange with the environment rather than mere physiological respiration. Practitioners may perform tǔ nà at dawn facing east or during quiet seated meditation, always with emphasis on naturalness and continuity between breath, body, and intention.