Tao is void, but its content does not exhaust.

無源 · Wú Yuán

Classical Chinese Text

道冲，而用之有弗盈也。
渊呵！似万物之宗。
锉其兑，解其纷，和其光，同其尘。
湛呵！似或存。
吾不知其谁之子，象帝之先。

Translation & Meaning

Tao is void, but its content does not exhaust.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 冲 (chōng): void / surge / empty cup
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 弗 (fú): not / does not
  • 盈 (yíng): fulfill / overflow
  • 也 (yě): [modal particle of assertion]
  • 渊 (yuān): deepness / abyss / depth
  • 呵 (hē): [exclamation particle]
  • 似 (sì): seems / resembles
  • 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 宗 (zōng): ancestor / origin / head
  • 锉 (cuò): dull / blunt sharpness
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 兑 (duì): sharpness / apertures
  • 解 (jiě): untangle / resolve
  • 纷 (fēn): turmoil / entanglement
  • 和 (hé): accord / harmonize
  • 光 (guāng): light / radiance / shine
  • 同 (tóng): identical / unified / same source
  • 尘 (chén): dirt / dust / mundane
  • 湛 (zhàn): translucence / profound calm
  • 或 (huò): tangible / perhaps / presence
  • 存 (cún): exist / remain / dwell
  • 吾 (wú): I / myself
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
  • 谁 (shuí): who / whose
  • 子 (zǐ): child / progeny
  • 象 (xiàng): appearance / image / form
  • 帝 (dì): god / supreme sovereign
  • 先 (xiān): before / front