origin; ultimate substance; essence
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
origin; ultimate substance; essence; first principle
formalA core term in ancient Chinese and Western philosophy, referring to the fundamental principle or substance from which everything is derived. Also used in metaphysics and ontology.
Zài在
gǔ古
xī希
là腊
zhé哲
xué学
zhōng中
，
shuǐ水
、
huǒ火
、
qì气
děng等
bèi被
rèn认
wéi为
shì是
shì世
jiè界
de的
běn本
yuán原
。
In ancient Greek philosophy, water, fire, air, etc. were considered the first principles of the world.
Tā他
shì试
tú图
cóng从
fēn纷
fán繁
de的
xiàn现
xiàng象
zhōng中
tàn探
xún寻
shì事
wù物
de的
běn本
yuán原
。
He attempted to explore the ultimate substance of things from complex phenomena.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Dào道
jiā家
rèn认
wéi为
“
dào道
”
shì是
yǔ宇
zhòu宙
de的
běn本
yuán原
。
Daoism holds that 'Dao' is the origin of the universe.