洋 (yáng) - ocean & vast

洋Tone 2

yáng ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 氵

嬿一

洋 · yáng

ocean;

vast;

foreign;

Western;

modern;

abundant

oceanvastforeign

Usage highlights

oceanPacific OceanWestern styleoverseas Chineseforeign goodsocean current

Synonyms

  • 海— sea; ocean
  • 瀚— vast; extensive
  • 阔— wide; broad

Antonyms

  • 土— local; rustic (antonym to foreign/modern sense)
  • 狭— narrow; confined

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean (太平洋).
  • This style is Western (洋式).
  • He went overseas to study (出洋留学).
  • The ocean is vast and boundless (海洋浩瀚).

Collocations

  • ocean(海洋)
  • Pacific Ocean(太平洋)
  • Western style(洋式)
  • overseas Chinese(华侨)
  • foreign goods(洋货)
  • ocean current(洋流)

Idioms

  • Vast ocean of learning(洋洋大观)
  • Pleased with oneself(洋洋得意)
  • Boundless as the ocean(汪洋大海)
  • Magnificent and imposing(洋洋洒洒)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese geography, 'yang' referred to the vast oceans beyond China's coastal waters.
  • During the late Qing and Republican periods, 'yang' acquired connotations of Western modernity and foreign influence.
  • The character embodies both the literal meaning of oceanic vastness and cultural associations with external sophistication.

FAQ