喜则气缓

xǐ zé qì huǎn

joy depresses one's qi vital breath

an excess of joy may lead to sluggishness of vital energy (TCM)

喜

xǐ

to be fond of

则

zé

(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then

气

qì

gas; air

缓

huǎn

slow