Yin and yang whose fusion in physical matter brings the phenomenal world into being. Also "attrib". or as "adj"., and "transf". Cf. yang. b. "Comb"., as yin-yang, the combination or fusion of the two cosmic forces; freq. attrib., esp. as yin-yang symbol, a circle divided by an S-shaped line into a dark and a light segment, representing respectively "yin" and "yang", each containing a 'seed' of the other. yang (jæŋ) Also Yang. [Chinese "yáng" yang, sun, positive, male genitals.] a. In Chinese philosophy, the masculine or positive principle (characterized by light, warmth, dryness, activity, etc.) of the two opposing cosmic forces into which
Yin and yang < *"ʔəm" compares with Burmese "ʔum" "overcast; cloudy", Adi "muk-jum" "shade", and Lepcha "so'yǔm" "shade"; and is probably cognate with Chinese "àn" < *"ʔə̂mʔ" "dim; gloomy" and "qīn" < *"khəm" "blanket" "Yang" < *"laŋ" compares with Lepcha "a-lóŋ" "reflecting light", Burmese "laŋ" "be bright" and "ə-laŋ" "light"; and is perhaps cognate with Chinese "chāng" < *"k-hlaŋ" "prosperous; bright"; "bǐng" < *"braŋʔ" "bright"; "liàng" < "*raŋh" "(pale) light"; "lǎng" < "raŋʔ" "brilliant light"; "míng" < "mraŋ" "bright, become light, enlighten". Schuessler surmises that those items either are areal words (cf. Tai "plaŋ" "bright") or belong to an Austroasiatic word family (cf.