yang
Americannoun
noun
noun
Usage
What else does yang mean? Yang is a common Chinese surname. It also refers to a cosmic force present in ancient Chinese philosophy, typically associated with masculinity, sunlight, and the color white.
Explanation
Yang is the masculine, positive principle in Chinese philosophy. It’s associated with heaven and activity. Have you balanced your yin and yang? In Chinese philosophy, these two qualities or principles, which exist in everyone, represent femaleness (yin) and maleness (yang). Achieving a balance between the two is considered important for having a happy, healthy life. Yang has to do with maleness as well as heaven, light, activity, and warmth. The black and white symbol of yin and yang represents how they complete a whole. Yin and yang are almost always discussed together.
Vocabulary lists containing yang
Chinese History - Introductory
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Chinese History - Middle School and High School
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Chapters 3–4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Guy and Bruno constitute the two halves of a single personality, the yin and the yang, the superego and the id.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The source said the deputy should be the "yin to the yang" of No 10.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2025
He seemed extremely stable — like he could be the yin to my yang.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
There is a yin and yang to that.
From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2025
They are equal and opposite, yin and yang.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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"These two things make finding quasars at these distances incredibly difficult," said lead author Daming Yang, a doctoral student in Hennawi's group at Leiden University.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
It's important women have the option to enter the profession, said Yang Mengchen, who leads another all-women repair and appliance cleaning team.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
But while Yang provided similar assistance to authorities, his offences were so "grave" that his assistance "was insufficient to warrant a more lenient punishment", the Changzhou court said.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Morningstar analyst Luke Yang told MarketWatch that news of OpenAI’s IPO delay was the main factor impacting Oracle’s stock performance.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
But I wasn’t so sure about Yang Sze-Fu.
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.