Refers to the rhythmic beating of the heart as felt in arteries, or metaphorically to the rhythm or vitality of something.
The doctor checked the patient's pulse.
You can feel the pulse of vitality in this town.
Used for blood vessels, and also for mineral veins or streaks in rocks, wood, etc.
Beautiful veins run through the marble.
Used in compounds like 山脈 (mountain range) to indicate a connected series.
The Japanese Alps consist of several mountain ranges.
Often used in negative or conditional expressions like 脈がない or 脈がありそう, meaning there is no hope or there seems to be a chance.
There seems to be no hope of him getting that job.
Refers to a logical connection or thread in an argument, story, or conversation.
His story doesn't have a coherent thread.
After exercising, one's pulse becomes fast.
The pulse can become irregular when one is nervous.
I confessed to him, but it seems there's no chance.
mountain range; mountain belt
personal connections; network of contacts
water vein; underground stream · waterway; channel
arrhythmia; abnormal heartbeat
logical connection; coherence; context · blood vessel
pulse; pulse rate; pulsation
ore vein; lode; reef; streak
coronary artery
blood vessel · blood relationship; blood ties
gold vein; vein of gold · financial backing; source of funds; money connection
carotid artery
pound; pulse; pulsate
pulsation; pulsatory motion
leaf vein; leaf venation
life; thread of life
arterial blood
a vein; a thread of connection
main mountain range · midrib; costa · main vein (leaf)
disorder; confusion; chaos
conception vessel; Ren channel
lateral vein
branch; offshoot; tributary; fork; ramification
mineral vein; ore vein · underground water channel; subterranean watercourse
dike; dyke
normal pulse
bradycardia; slow pulse