Definition

1. Noun:
   • The Five Elements / Five Phases: A fundamental concept in traditional East Asian philosophy and cosmology, describing the five basic, interacting elements or phases that constitute all phenomena in the universe: Metal (金), Wood (木), Water (水), Fire (火), and Earth (土). It is a system of cyclical interactions and correspondences, not merely static substances.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Thuyết ngũ hành ảnh hưởng sâu sắc đến y học cổ truyền phương Đông. (The Five Elements theory deeply influences traditional East Asian medicine.)
  • Theo ngũ hành, Thủy khắc Hỏa. (According to the Five Elements, Water overcomes Fire.)
  • Kiến trúc này được thiết kế dựa trên sự cân bằng ngũ hành. (This architecture was designed based on the balance of the Five Elements.)

Advanced Usage

• "Tương sinh trong ngũ hành": The Cycle of Generation (or Mutual Production) in the Five Elements, where one element fosters or gives birth to another (e.g., Wood feeds Fire).

  • Mối quan hệ tương sinh giúp duy trì sự cân bằng. (The generative relationship helps maintain balance.)

• "Tương khắc trong ngũ hành": The Cycle of Restraint (or Mutual Conquest) in the Five Elements, where one element controls or inhibits another (e.g., Metal chops Wood).

  • Hiểu luật tương khắc để tránh xung đột. (Understanding the restraint cycle helps avoid conflict.)

Variants and Related Words

• Học thuyết Ngũ Hành (n): The Five Elements Theory/Doctrine.

  • Học thuyết Ngũ Hành rất phức tạp. (The Five Elements Doctrine is very complex.)

• Ngũ hành tương sinh (n): The Five Elements generative cycle.

• Ngũ hành tương khắc (n): The Five Elements restraining cycle.

Synonyms

• Five Phases: A common translation emphasizing the cyclical, dynamic nature of the elements.
• Wu Xing: The direct transliteration from Chinese (五行), often used in academic contexts.

Related Concepts and Idioms

• Âm Dương Ngũ Hành: Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, representing the core philosophical duality combined with the five-phase system.

  • Triết lý Âm Dương Ngũ Hành là nền tảng của nhiều môn khoa học cổ. (The philosophy of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements is the foundation of many ancient sciences.)

• Xem tuổi hợp ngũ hành: To check for compatibility based on the Five Elements (often in marriage or business).

  • Họ xem tuổi hợp ngũ hành trước khi kết hôn. (They checked their Five Elements compatibility before marrying.)

1. The five basic elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth, according to Eastern plilosopky)