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Pictographs of gastroparesis in Chinese characters

I read with interest the article by Cogliandro et al entitled “Is gastropa‐ resis a gastric disease?” in which authors discovered that gastropa‐ resis severity was associated with small bowel motor abnormalities, instead of gastric emptying (GE).1 In fact, this study observed similar moderate/severe gastroparesis manifestations between patients with GE and without GE, whereas moderate/severe gastroparesis manifestations were more found in patients with enteric dysmotility (ED) than patients with normal small bowel manometry.1 The idea and title of this study is insightful, highlighting the poten‐ tial role of small bowel motor abnormality involved in gastroparesis. Nonetheless, the intrinsic mechanisms of gastroparesis are yet to be fully characterized. Given the anatomical and physiological connec‐ tions between stomach and small intestine, whether gastroparesis is defined by small intestines or stomach warrant further investigation. Meanwhile, it is also insightful to demonstrate a pictograph of gastroparesis using Chinese hieroglyphic character. Chinese cur‐ rent characters are descendant from ancient characters. The devel‐ opment of Chinese characters could be traced back to over three thousand years ago. All the Chinese hieroglyphic characters are the abstract form of their meanings. Previously, a pictograph of enceph‐ alitis using Chinese hieroglyphic character has been displayed.2 In Chinese characters, gastroparesis is 胃瘫 (pronounced as Wei‐ Tan), representing stomach (胃) and paralysis (瘫). 胃 is originally a typical hieroglyphic character . It contains two parts, and . represents a bag with rice while represents meat or a part of human body. In total, these two parts in combination mean the stomach as a part of human body that contained food. 瘫 is from a hieroglyphic character . It contains two parts, and . represents sickness while represents hard to do something or move. This pictograph reflects a connection between gastroparesis in modern medicine and ancient Chinese characters (Figure 1). Is gastroparesis a gastric disease? More insightful answers are needed.