yang
noun
(in Chinese philosophy and religion) the positive, bright, and masculine principle, the counterpart of yin.
Jump To:
yang
American
[yahng, yang]
/ jɑŋ, jæŋ /
noun
Yang
1
British
/ jæŋ /
noun
Yang
2
British
/ jæŋ /
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:
Yin to Dangerfield’s yang, with a quiet, commanding presence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
He was like the yin to my yang.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
She described the two disparate beats as a way of staying balanced, her yin and yang.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2026
"We are quite different people - very much yin and yang - but I think decisions are better made with two brains rather than one as it stops hubris," says Begg, who is London-based.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026
“First of all, this yang means sun, not foreign. And this yang-san means sun umbrella, parasol, not foreign umbrella.”
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
The voice cast features Bill Hader in the title role, as well as Matt Berry, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera and Bowen Yang.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
Yang said she would not have paid for a ticket, given the movie's quality.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Yang noted that a connection "does not, by itself, establish responsibility for a fire".
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
"If the cell is not healthy, the virus would not replicate well," Yang said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
Plus, Mr. Yang kept the house in impeccable shape, repairing leaky faucets, patching the front concrete, and coaxing the stamp-sized backyard into a lush garden.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
