To and fro is Tao’s movement, weak is Tao’s way. The ten thousand thin

去用 · Qù Yòng

Classical Chinese Text

反者道之动，弱者道之用。天下万物生于有，有生于无。

Translation & Meaning

To and fro is Tao’s movement, weak is Tao’s way. The ten thousand things under heaven are born out of existence, the existence is born out of nothingness.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 反 (fǎn): classical character (fǎn)
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 动 (dòng): action / motion / movement
  • 弱 (ruò): weaken / soften / yield
  • 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 生 (shēng): give birth to / arise
  • 于 (yú): to / at / in
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without