阴 (yīn) - yin — the feminine/passive principle in Chinese philosophy & shade

阴Tone 1

yīn ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 阝

懿嘤

阴 · yīn

yin — the feminine/passive principle in Chinese philosophy;

shade;

shadow;

overcast;

negative;

the moon;

hidden;

secret;

genitalia.

yin — the feminine/passive principle in Chinese philosophyshadeshadow

Usage highlights

yin and yangovercast skyshady placenegative electrodeconspiracymoonlight

Synonyms

  • 暗— dark
  • 影— shadow
  • 月— moon (in philosophical context)

Antonyms

  • 阳— yang (masculine/active principle)
  • 晴— sunny
  • 明— bright

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The weather is overcast today (阴天).
  • Yin and yang represent opposite forces (阴阳).
  • This place is in the shade (阴凉处).
  • He has a sinister scheme (阴谋).

Collocations

  • yin and yang(阴阳)
  • overcast sky(阴天)
  • shady place(阴凉)
  • negative electrode(阴极)
  • conspiracy(阴谋)
  • moonlight(月光)

Idioms

  • A conspiracy within a conspiracy(阴谋中的阴谋)
  • The sun and the moon alternate(阴阳交替)
  • Underhanded methods(阴险手段)
  • The shady side of the mountain(山阴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, yin represents the feminine, passive, dark, cold, and negative aspects of the universe, complementary to yang.
  • The concept originates from the shady (yin) and sunny (yang) sides of a hill in ancient Chinese thought.
  • Yin is associated with the moon, earth, water, and nighttime in traditional cosmology.

FAQ