noun

yin and yang

yin uhnd YANG

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Yin and yang (noun) means In Chinese philosophy, the two complementary forces held to make up everything in the universe: yin, the dark, cool, passive, receptive principle, and yang, the bright, warm, active, assertive one, each containing a trace of the other and constantly turning into it. Example: “Traditional Chinese medicine aims to restore the balance of yin and yang in the body.”

noun

In Chinese philosophy, the two complementary forces held to make up everything in the universe: yin, the dark, cool, passive, receptive principle, and yang, the bright, warm, active, assertive one, each containing a trace of the other and constantly turning into it.

"Traditional Chinese medicine aims to restore the balance of yin and yang in the body."

figurative Any pair of opposite qualities or people that depend on and balance each other.

"The two founders were the yin and yang of the company: one cautious, one reckless."

The circular black-and-white symbol representing these forces, each half curved into the other and carrying a dot of its opposite.

"He had a small yin and yang tattooed on his wrist."

How to use yin and yang

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTwo opposite forces that balance each other and make a whole.

When to use it

The philosophical sense is neutral; the figurative "they're the yin and yang of the office" sense is everyday English. The symbol is properly called the taijitu.

Memory tip

Yang is pronounced with the vowel of "hang", not "song".

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

taijitu feng shui qi → tao →

Common pairings

balance of yin and yang yin and yang symbol yin energy yang energy

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “yin and yang” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Traditional Chinese medicine aims to restore the balance of _____ in the body.

Etymology

From Chinese yin, the shaded northern side of a hill, and yang, its sunlit southern side.

Origin: Chinese

Synonyms

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balance counterpoint opposites complement

Related words

complete crew balance remaining contrast proportion bias remainder

Rhymes for yin and yang

yang Ouyang Hanyang Pyongyang Xiangyang

See all rhymes for yin and yang →

Frequently asked questions

Which side is yin and which is yang?

Yin is the dark half and yang is the light half. Yin is associated with cold, night, stillness, water and the feminine; yang with heat, day, movement, fire and the masculine. Each half carries a dot of the other colour to show that neither exists in a pure state.

What do the dots in the yin and yang symbol mean?

They show that each force contains the seed of its opposite and will eventually turn into it. Nothing is wholly yin or wholly yang, and the two are always in the process of exchanging.

Is yin and yang about good and evil?

No. Neither force is good or bad; they are complementary rather than opposed in a moral sense. Harm is understood to come from imbalance between them, not from one of them being wicked.

What is the meaning of yin and yang?

"yin and yang" (noun) means in Chinese philosophy, the two complementary forces held to make up everything in the universe: yin, the dark, cool, passive, receptive principle, and yang, the bright, warm, active, assertive one, each containing a trace of the other and constantly turning into it.

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