<p>According <a href="http://fengshuichina.blog.sohu.com/93463692.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">to this fengshui expert</a>, the penis and the vagina are both named not because of the gender of the bearer, but via Western medical terminology because they originate from the perineum <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%83%E9%99%B0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(会阴)</a>. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“阴茎”这个称呼不是中国人发明的。它属于从西方医学中翻译过来的外来语，与我们中国的阴阳学说无关。从解剖学角度来讲，耻骨至肛门之前的区域叫会阴区。在这个区域的内在“通道”称作“阴道”，外在如茎之物称作“阴茎”，想一想也是很形象的。而以阴阳学说为基础的中国古典医学并不把男性生殖器叫阴茎，而是称为阳根、阳具或者阳物。</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-14T13:24:38.527Z
2017-03-14T13:24:38.527Z
March Ho
<p>或者说在传统的观念里，头为阳，越往下即为阴。凑字数凑字数，凑字数。</p>

<p>阴是医学叫法，指的是平时遮住的地方。阳是传统叫法。</p>

<p>因为生殖器官所在的位置叫下阴，生殖器官中的“阴”和男女的“阴阳”是不能作对比的。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-12T20:11:07.003Z
Do you think this could be be because 阴 suggests "hidden"?  Or somehow covered over?
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-12T20:36:20.043Z
那么为什么男性的那个位置被称为下阴呢？下阳不会更合适吗？Then why is that place called 下阴, even though it's a place in the male body? Wouldn't 下阳 be more appropriate? :)
Sweeper
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T04:06:43.590Z
@ColinMcLarty I believe it's "dark" so "covered/shaded" is close. 阴，暗也。——《说文》
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T11:58:07.833Z
-1, no sources made to support this argument.
March Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T14:58:07.357Z
@Sweeper 这又不是我定的，我也很无奈啊.....
Chinese boy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-13T15:13:04.450Z
I.......cannot explain it
Chinese boy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-14T13:57:28.353Z
+1 for the answer below (医学叫法)
wpt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-12T16:45:00.647Z
2017-04-08T09:08:13.180Z
2017-04-08T09:08:13.180Z
Chinese boy
<p>The answer by Chinese boy is right, 陰 is a technical term for the genitals, male or female. </p>

<p>Etymologically, 陰 as genitals may very well have come from dark, hidden, etc. as Colin suggested above. Morohashi's Dai kanwa jiten cites 釋名, a late Han dynasty dictionary, for this meaning: 陰，蔭也。言所在蔭翳也。 Not so different from English 'privates' perhaps.</p>

<p>Examples of 陰 without regard to male or female include 陰部 'genitals', 外陰 'external genitalia', 陰毛 'pubic hair', 陰蝨 'crabs' and so on. Other male body parts using 陰 include 陰囊 'scrotum'.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-14T13:56:32.287Z
2017-03-14T14:02:33.413Z
2017-03-14T14:02:33.413Z
wpt
<p>The penis is translated as "阴茎" (literally "yin stem"), but it is a male organ. In the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang#Meanings" rel="noreferrer">traditional concepts of yin and yang</a>, "阴" is generally associated with the female sex. </p>

<p>To support the idea, the term <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E9%99%BD%E5%85%B7" rel="noreferrer">"阳具"</a> (literally "yang tool") is also used to describe the penis (and scrotum).</p>

<p>Why is the penis, a male reproductive organ, associated with the word "阴"?</p>

<etymology>
Why is the penis, a male organ, "阴茎"?
# Why is the penis, a male organ, "阴茎"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-12)

The penis is translated as "阴茎" (literally "yin stem"), but it is a male organ. In the [traditional concepts of yin and yang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang#Meanings), "阴" is generally associated with the female sex.

To support the idea, the term ["阳具"](https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E9%99%BD%E5%85%B7) (literally "yang tool") is also used to describe the penis (and scrotum).

Why is the penis, a male reproductive organ, associated with the word "阴"?

**Tags:** etymology


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2017-03-14. Score: 3

According [to this fengshui expert](http://fengshuichina.blog.sohu.com/93463692.html), the penis and the vagina are both named not because of the gender of the bearer, but via Western medical terminology because they originate from the perineum [(会阴)](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%83%E9%99%B0).

> “阴茎”这个称呼不是中国人发明的。它属于从西方医学中翻译过来的外来语，与我们中国的阴阳学说无关。从解剖学角度来讲，耻骨至肛门之前的区域叫会阴区。在这个区域的内在“通道”称作“阴道”，外在如茎之物称作“阴茎”，想一想也是很形象的。而以阴阳学说为基础的中国古典医学并不把男性生殖器叫阴茎，而是称为阳根、阳具或者阳物。


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### Answer by username_1 on 2017-03-12. Score: 2

或者说在传统的观念里，头为阳，越往下即为阴。凑字数凑字数，凑字数。

阴是医学叫法，指的是平时遮住的地方。阳是传统叫法。

因为生殖器官所在的位置叫下阴，生殖器官中的“阴”和男女的“阴阳”是不能作对比的。

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Do you think this could be be because 阴 suggests "hidden"?  Or somehow covered over?  
> **username_3**: 那么为什么男性的那个位置被称为下阴呢？下阳不会更合适吗？Then why is that place called 下阴, even though it's a place in the male body? Wouldn't 下阳 be more appropriate? :)  
> **username_4**: @username_2 I believe it's "dark" so "covered/shaded" is close. 阴，暗也。——《说文》  
> **username_0**: -1, no sources made to support this argument.  
> **username_1**: @username_3 这又不是我定的，我也很无奈啊.....  
> **username_1**: I.......cannot explain it  
> **username_5**: +1 for the answer below (医学叫法)  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-03-14. Score: 2

The answer by username_1 boy is right, 陰 is a technical term for the genitals, male or female.

Etymologically, 陰 as genitals may very well have come from dark, hidden, etc. as username_2 suggested above. Morohashi's Dai kanwa jiten cites 釋名, a late Han dynasty dictionary, for this meaning: 陰，蔭也。言所在蔭翳也。 Not so different from English 'privates' perhaps.

Examples of 陰 without regard to male or female include 陰部 'genitals', 外陰 'external genitalia', 陰毛 'pubic hair', 陰蝨 'crabs' and so on. Other male body parts using 陰 include 陰囊 'scrotum'.


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