yin and yang

American  

[yin uhn yang] / ˈyɪn ən ˈyæŋ /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. (in Chinese philosophy and religion) two principles, one negative, dark, and feminine yin, and one positive, bright, and masculine yang, whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things.

2. the yin and yang, the dual and contrasting aspects or principles of a particular field of activity, thought, etc..

   The senator spoke at length about the yin and yang of job cuts and job creation.

   Experiences and equipment are the yin and yang of road tripping.

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adjective

1. relating to or based on the two opposing principles in Chinese philosophy and religion, one negative, dark, and feminine (yin), and one positive, bright, and masculine (yang).

   In the classical Chinese conception of the cosmos, physical entities are simply instantiations of yin and yang energy.

   She practices traditional yin and yang healing.

2. being, involving, or encompassing opposite or contrasting elements.

   This ornament captures yin and yang beauty in shadows formed by light.

   Yin and yang relationships, like the one between my practical mother and bohemian father, often do well.

Yin and Yang British  

/ jɪn /

noun

1. two complementary principles of Chinese philosophy: Yin is negative, dark, and feminine, Yang positive, bright, and masculine. Their interaction is thought to maintain the harmony of the universe and to influence everything within it

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yin and yang Cultural  

1. Two forces in the universe, according to a Chinese theory: yin is the passive, negative force, and yang the active, positive force. According to this theory, wise people will detect these forces in the seasons, in their food, and so on, and will regulate their lives accordingly.

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Usage

What does yin and yang mean? There's light and dark, day and night, good and evil, yin and yang.Yin and yang or yin-yang refers to a concept originating in ancient Chinese philosophy where opposite forces are seen as interconnected and counterbalancing.It is commonly represented by the yin-yang symbol, a circle made up of black and white swirls, each containing a spot of the other.

Etymology

Origin of yin and yang

First recorded in 1930–35; from Chinese yīn-yáng

Example Sentences

"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

Seattle quarterback Geno Smith embodied the yin and yang of this wild game, throwing three beautiful touchdown passes but offsetting those with three interceptions.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2024

We grow up to discover there are names in every culture for that — yin and yang, the Apollonian and Dionysian, Vishnu and Shiva, thesis and antithesis, the law of contraries, the dialectic.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2024

"There could be a yin and yang effect going on here, whereby too much of the wrong thing is increasing your inflammasome activity and too little is decreasing it," said Professor Bryant.

From Science Daily • Jan. 30, 2024

They are equal and opposite, yin and yang.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife