yin-yang

See also: yinyang, yīnyáng, and yin yang

English
WOTD – 18 May 2007
A yin-yang symbol. It shows a balance between two opposites, colored as pure black and pure white, with a portion of the opposite element in each section.

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Mandarin 陰陽／阴阳 (yīnyáng), from Middle Chinese 陰陽 (MC ʔˠiɪm jɨɐŋ), from Old Chinese 陰陽 (OC *qrɯm laŋ), from 陰 (“dark” → “negative force”) + 陽 (“bright” → “positive force”).

Pronunciation
  • enPR: yĭn yăng, IPA(key): /ˈjɪn ˈjæŋ/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (AU)(file)

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. (slang) The vulva or vagina.
    • 1998, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest, Abacus 2013, page 124:
      U.S.S. Millicent asked Mario if he'd ever seen a girl's yin-yang before.
    • 2009, Stanley William Rogal, What Passes for Love, page 76:
      "So I took off my apron and told her she could shove the job up her ying-yang."

Translations
vagina — see vagina

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

Noun

yin-yang m (uncountable)

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