阴
yin (negative/masculine in Chinese philosophy); moon; cloudy; shady; sinister; underworld; negative electricity
Meanings
13 senses · 25 examplesnoun
yin, opposite of yang in ancient Chinese philosophy
formalCore concept in traditional Chinese philosophy, used to describe complementary opposing forces in nature and human affairs.
Ancient Chinese philosophy uses yin and yang to explain natural phenomena.
Balance of yin and yang is an important theoretical foundation of traditional Chinese medicine.
noun
moon; lunar
formalMostly used in fixed compound words like 阴历 (lunar calendar).
The lunar calendar is about one month behind the solar calendar.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated according to the lunar calendar.
adjective; noun
overcast; cloudy weather
commonCan be used as both an adjective to describe weather and a noun referring to cloudy conditions.
Today is an overcast day, the sun didn't come out.
This kind of rainy cloudy day easily makes people feel tired.
noun
shady; sheltered spot
commonRefers to a place that is out of direct sunlight.
Let's go under the shade of the tree to rest for a while.
In summer, stay in shady places more to avoid heatstroke.
noun
north of mountain; south of river
formalFixed geographical term in ancient Chinese place names.
Huayin is located north of Mount Hua.
Jiangyin City is located south of the Yangtze River.
noun
back side; reverse side
formalUsed for flat objects like stone tablets, coins, or paper.
The back side of this stone tablet is engraved with inscriptions.
Ancient coins have characters on the obverse and patterns on the reverse.
adjective
concave; incuse
technicalMostly used in technical terms like 阴文 (incuse characters/designs).
The incuse patterns on this bronze ware are very exquisite.
Characters stamped with an incuse seal are sunken on the paper.
adjective
hidden; secret; undercover
commonUsed for things that are not openly visible or disclosed.
This covered sewer connects to the city's drainage system.
He was exposed for secretly handling customers' privacy in underhanded deals.
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He outwardly supported it but actually obeyed only on the surface.
adjective
sinister; treacherous; underhanded
derogatoryUsed to describe people or their actions with malicious intent.
Everyone saw through his sinister plot.
That person looks kind, but is actually very treacherous.
adjective
underworld; spiritual of ghosts
archaicSuperstitious usage referring to the afterlife realm of the dead.
Ancient people believed the underworld was ruled by the King of Hell over life and death.
During the Qingming Festival, people will worship the ancestral spirits in the underworld.
adjective
negative (electricity)
technicalScientific term used in physics.
Electrons carry negative charge, which is also called yin electricity.
The positive and negative terminals of this battery must be connected correctly.
noun
genitals; female genitalia
slangVulgar and clinical usage, mostly used in medical or informal contexts.
This medical paper discusses the physiological structure of the female vulva.
proper noun
Yin (surname)
A common Chinese surname.
Yin Falu was a famous Chinese scholar of literature and history.