From May 1988 to December 1991, 9 cases of the tongue defect were reconstructed with the free gracilis myocutanious flaps to maintain the tongue motive force. The survival rate was 77.8% (7/9). The follow--up period was 18 months to 5 years. The volume of the flaps didn't obviously atrophy. The shapes of tongue reconstructed were chubby. In their function, the electrokinetic appearance was detected after post--operation 6 months by point electrode electromyography (EMG), and with the time being, the action tended to increase. Compared with the free forearm flap, the gracilis myocutanious flap is better in shape and function, and with muscle and nerve. Therefore, the functional reconstruction of the tongue defect relates not only with neurotropism, but also with the character and volume of the flap. It was confirmed by many experiments and clinical studies that the muscle transplanted can be under control of the nerve by motor never reproducing.