yin and yang

[ yinuhn yang ]

/ ˈyɪn ən ˈyæŋ /

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noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

(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.

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Origin of yin and yang

First recorded in 1930–35, yin and yang is from the Chinese word yīn-yáng

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use yin and yang in a sentence

As reparation, the court ordered $563 to be paid out to Yang and required the clinic to post an apology on its website.
China’s Electroshock Gay-Conversion Case|Nina Strochlic|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The WHO has agreed to meet with Yang and a number of Chinese NGOs to discuss a broader ruling on the practice.
China’s Electroshock Gay-Conversion Case|Nina Strochlic|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Victoria and Zoe Yin, who hail from Boston, were both deemed child prodigies at young ages.
Blessed or Cursed? Child Prodigies Reveal All|Justin Jones|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At that point, I knew I had found the yang to my unfolding story.
What Are We Protecting with Gun Laws?|Jessica Solce|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

You just have to find that yin of decency and locate the gestures and words that smother the yang of fear.
Why the Border Bigots Are Beating Obama|Michael Tomasky|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An' yet, mind ye, Smillie seemed to me to be a straight-forret man an' yin that was sincere.
The Underworld|James C. Welsh
She sells hersel' an' it's no worth while complainin' if the bargain turns oot a rotten yin.
The Underworld|James C. Welsh
Mag ay cried that it was best to mak' a splash aboot the things you did; but, by sirs, she has made yin this time.
The Underworld|James C. Welsh
He's a corker, wi' a face like yin o' they pented cupids that the lasses send to the young men on picture postcards.
The Underworld|James C. Welsh
The other day Mr. Yang Yu received a letter from the Viceroy, asking him to plant the tree before he left the country.
The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 29, May 27, 1897|Various

British Dictionary definitions for yin and yang

Yin and Yang

/ (jɪn) /

noun

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

Word Origin for Yin and Yang

from Chinese (Peking) yin dark + yang bright

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for yin and yang

yin and yang

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.