Where does “yin” come from?

Yin derives from Old English ān, from Proto-Germanic ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European óynos, originally meaning a single or unified entity.

yin (English): A principle in Chinese and related East Asian...

Definitions

  1. A principle in Chinese and related East Asian...

Ancestry of “yin”, step by step

yin traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English ān

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishānlonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one
2Proto-West Germanicainone
3Proto-Germanicainazone; some
4Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

via Chinese 陰

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinese陰—

via Mandarin 殷

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Mandarin殷—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →Every word from Proto-Germanic ainaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic ain →