Yin
Darkness in duality
Yin is one half of the Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang—complementary forces that together form a dynamic whole.
Yin represents the passive, dark, cold, and feminine principle, while yang represents active, light, warm, and masculine qualities.
Neither exists without the other: the yin and yang of work and rest.
In casual use, yin describes the quieter or more receptive side of any duality: She's the yin to his yang.
Twofold nature
- TaoismPhilosophy of the Way
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
- LaoziTaoism's legendary founder
complementarity · interdependence · wholeness · unity · polarity · opposition · interplay · cyclical
Clear essential liquid
- coldLow temperature state
- darknessTotal absence of light
- nightDark hours daily
- winterYear's coldest quarter
shade · valley · north · wet · rest · contraction · descending · interior
Open to input
- passiveNot actively participating
- yieldingBending under pressure
- softYielding to touch
- nurturingSupportive care-giving
intuitive · inward · gentle · moon · earth · dark · cool · still
Darkest possible hue
- broken lineSegmented linear marking
- trigramThree-unit linguistic sequence
- hexagramStar with six points
- dotSmall circular mark
swirl · fish · teardrop · circle · emblem · tattoo · pendant · medallion
duality
Twofold nature
Laozi · complementarity · interdependence · wholeness · unity · polarity · opposition · interplay · cyclical · transformation
water
Clear essential liquid
winter · shade · valley · north · wet · rest · contraction · descending · interior · stillness
receptive
Open to input
nurturing · intuitive · inward · gentle · moon · earth · dark · cool · still · quiet
black
Darkest possible hue
- broken lineSegmented linear marking
- trigramThree-unit linguistic sequence
- hexagramStar with six points
dot · swirl · fish · teardrop · circle · emblem · tattoo · pendant · medallion · icon
deficiency
Lack of something needed
- nourishProvide sustenance to
- acupunctureTherapeutic needle insertion
- meridianPole-to-pole great circle
qi · blood · dampness · depletion · pale · fatigue · dryness · five elements · herbal · moxibustion
YinYang
Masculine cosmic principle
assertiveness · action · dominance · penetration · rationality
- yin and yangOpposing yet interdependent principles
- yin yangComplementary opposing forces
- yin yang symbolDualistic harmony emblem
- yin yogaSustained-pose contemplative practice
- Ying YangSymbol of complementary opposites
- yin energyPassive principle in Chinese philosophy