牝 (pìn) - Female (of animals) & yin

牝Tone 4

pìn ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 牜

柠七

牝 · pìn

Female (of animals);

yin;

negative principle;

valley;

riverbed.

Female (of animals)yinnegative principle

Usage highlights

Female horseMysterious femaleFemale chickenFemale animalValley spiritYin principle

Synonyms

  • 雌— female (general term)
  • 母— mother; female (colloquial)

Antonyms

  • 牡— male (of animals)
  • 雄— male (general term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • A female horse (牝马).
  • The valley spirit (谷神) is called the mysterious female (玄牝).
  • The riverbed was dry (河牝).

Collocations

  • Female horse(牝马)
  • Mysterious female(玄牝)
  • Female chicken(牝鸡)
  • Female animal(牝兽)
  • Valley spirit(谷牝)
  • Yin principle(牝阴)

Idioms

  • A hen crowing at dawn(牝鸡司晨)
  • The mysterious female is the root of heaven and earth(玄牝之门，是谓天地根)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese philosophy, '牝' represents the yin, receptive, and feminine principle, contrasting with '牡' (male).
  • The concept of '玄牝' (mysterious female) in Daoist texts symbolizes the source of all creation.

FAQ