# yang

/ˈjæŋ/ (US) · /jˈæŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yang
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. philosophical principle

noun · CEFR B2

the active, bright, and masculine energy in Chinese philosophy that balances with 'yin'.

For teachers: the active, positive, bright, and masculine principle in Chinese philosophy, forming one half of the dualistic yin-yang system.

- In traditional medicine, health is seen as a balance between yin and yang.
- The architect incorporated both dark, quiet spaces and bright, open areas to represent the harmony of yin and yang within the building's design.

### 2. historical Korean currency

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

the name of the money used in Korea between 1892 and 1902.

For teachers: the primary monetary unit of Korea from 1892 to 1902, subdivided into 100 pun.

- The museum displayed a rare silver yang coin from the late nineteenth century.
- Economic historians study the transition from the yang to the won during the modernisation of the Korean financial system.

Usage: Used only in historical or numismatic contexts.

## Examples

- The sun represents Yang in traditional Chinese thought.
- In traditional medicine, a practitioner might look for an excess of Yang to explain a patient's fever or high energy.
- The philosophy of the Taiji symbol suggests that Yang contains a seed of its opposite, ensuring that no state of being remains static or absolute for long.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.