Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The passive, female cosmic principle in Chinese dualistic philosophy.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A Scotch form of one.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A Chinese weight of 22/3 pounds.
  • noun (Chinese philosophy) one of the two fundamental principles. See yin and yang.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The essential female principle in some Eastern religions and philosophies.
  • noun The number one, primarily used in Scotland and Ulster

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the dark negative feminine principle in Chinese dualistic cosmology

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Mandarin yīn, moon, shade, yin, from Middle Chinese ˀim, ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *rum, shade; akin to Tibetan rum, dark.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Chinese trad. , simpl. (pinyin: yīn)

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From ān. Cognate with yan, yen, ane and one.

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Examples

  • As we all know, yin is the more sinister element of the yin-and-yang duality -- sad, dark, and corresponding to the night.

    Tort "Reform" 2 2007

  • Read the pin yin story of a few pages and ask the class to listen to the words.

    mOral English: Using English Writing for Good « Peace Corps: China 2006

  • Thus all foods and herbs that are eliminative or catabolic are classified as yin while those which have stronger building or anabolic properties are classified as yang.

    THE NATURAL REMEDY BIBLE JOHN LUST 2003

  • In Eastern philosophy, the law of polarity is referred to as yin and yang.

    Having It All John Assaraf 2003

  • In Eastern philosophy, the concepts of feminine and masculine are called yin and yang.

    THE SURRENDERED SINGLE ALSO BY LAURA DOYLE 2002

  • This loft-like SoHo penthouse with four outdoor spaces has what its owner calls a 'yin and yang' aspect.

    A Zen Party House Maya Pope-Chappell 2011

  • Shi Shen and the whole body are real yin, zhen yin, which is the real postnatal yin.

    Tao II Dr. 2010

  • Shi Shen and the whole body are real yin, zhen yin, which is the real postnatal yin.

    Tao II Dr. 2010

  • Shi Shen and the whole body are real yin, zhen yin, which is the real postnatal yin.

    Tao II Dr. 2010

  • Shi Shen and the whole body are real yin, zhen yin, which is the real postnatal yin.

    Tao II Dr. 2010

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