Wu
/wuː/noun
A Taoist concept meaning nonbeing, emptiness, or the absence of fixed existence.
Did you know?In classical Chinese philosophy, wu is often contrasted with you, “being” or “presence,” forming a core Taoist tension between what exists and what cannot be grasped.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, c. 1000–200 BCE
Old Chinese
無 (*ma)
“Not have; absence; nothingness”
Han Dynasty, 206 BCE–220 CE
Classical Chinese
無 (wú)
“Nonexistence, lack, or the absence of something”
Middle Chinese, c. 600–900 CE
Middle Chinese
無 (mju)
“Nothingness; not possessing”
Medieval Chinese philosophical texts
Chinese
無為 (wúwéi)
““Non-action” or effortless action, a Taoist ideal associated with acting in harmony with the Tao”
20th Century
English
wu
“A borrowing used in English discussions of Taoism for nonbeing or emptiness”
Modern English
English
Wu
“A Taoist philosophical term for nonbeing, and also a historical Chinese surname and dynastic name”