yin-yang

See also: yinyang, yīnyáng, and yin yang

English

WOTD – 18 May 2007
A yin-yang symbol.

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Mandarin 陰陽阴阳 (yīnyáng), from Middle Chinese 陰陽 (MC 'im yang), from Old Chinese 陰陽 (OC *qrɯm laŋ), from (“dark” → “negative force”) + (“bright” → “positive force”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: yĭn yăng, IPA(key): /ˈjɪn ˈjæŋ/
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Noun

yin-yang (plural yin-yangs)

  1. Yin and yang.
  2. A circular symbol with white and black sections (), representing the fusion of the concepts of yin and yang.
  3. (colloquial, somewhat vulgar) The vulva or vagina.
  4. (colloquial, somewhat vulgar) The anus or rectum.
    He thought he could smuggle the drugs over the border by putting them in capsules and stuffing them up his yin-yang. Not a good idea!
    • 2021 January 19, CBC News, “Saskatchewan will run out of COVID-19 vaccine in the next few days, Moe says”, in Saskatchewan:
      "... I'd be on that phone call every single day. I'd be up that guy's yin-yang so far with a firecracker he wouldn't know what hit him," the Ontario premier said of Pfizer's executives.

Derived terms

Translations

French

Alternative forms

  • yin et yang

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ji.njɑ̃ɡ/

Noun

yin-yang m (uncountable)

  1. (Chinese philosophy) yin-yang (opposite principles in Chinese philosophy)

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈjĩ ˈjɐ̃.ɡi/
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈjĩ ˈjɐ̃.ɡe/

Noun

yin-yang m (uncountable)

  1. (Chinese philosophy) yin-yang (opposite principles in Chinese philosophy)
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