Taxonomy of meanings for 讓:　　

  • YIELD
    • nabactpolite deference, polite yielding behaviour
    • viactbe respectful and yielding in action; be deferential; be full of polite respect; yield to others
    • vipsychbe polite and yielding by nature
    • vt+prep+Nyield to, pass on the privilege to; yield precedence to
    • vtoNyield politely to, make room for; give precedence to; resign in favour of [REMOVE THE CASES OF 讓於 IN THIS GROUP OF EXAMPLES TO VTPREP]
    • vtoNpassivebe yielded up (as of profits etc)
    • vtt(oN1.)-vtoN2yield N2 to the contextually determinate N1 讓以天下
    • vtt(oN1.)+prep+N2omyield the contextually determinate N1 to (a person N2)
    • vtt+prep+N1:post.vtoN2yield N2 to N1
    • vttoN1:postvtoN2yield N2 to N1 以天下讓許由
    • vttoN1.+prep+N2讓天下於許由yield (something N1) to (someone else N2), pass on rulership over (something N1 e.g. a state) to (a person N2), abdicate (something N1) in favour of (someone N2)　故讓天下於子
    • vttoN1(.+N2)omyield (something N1) to someone else N2 who is contextually determinate
    • vtt(oN1.)+N2yield the contextually determinate desirable object N1 to N2
    • vt V(0)yield the V-ing to someoneCH
    • viderivedpoetic: make (aesthetic/literary) concessionsCH
    • nabconceptpolite deferenceLZ
    • vttoN1.+N2讓位季札 yield (something N1) to (someone else N2), pass on rulership over (something N1 e.g. a state) to (a person N2), abdicate (something N1) in favour of (someone N2)TW
    • DECENT
      • nabdecent renunciation; proper renunciation
      • vibe an example of decent unimposing renunciation
      “yielding> polite”
    • SUFFER
        “yield so as to be affected by” >
        • PASSIVE
    • PERMIT
        “yield to a request> let someone do something, allow someone to do something”
        • GIVE
            “permit someone to have> give”
            • APPOINT
                “give access to a position of power”
                • ABDICATE
                  • vifigurativegive upCH
                  “give access to one’s own position of power”
            • RETREAT
                “permit someone to occupy a space> give access to place> retreat”
                • GREET
                    “stepping back slightly fold one’s hands in front of one’s chest”
                • INFERIOR
                    “yield to> be inferior in any quality or status”
                    • LOWER
                        “yield ascendency to”> be lower than
                  • BLAME
                    • nabactpublic reprimand, public moral accusation; public reproof
                    • vtoNupbraid; reprove, criticise openly; reprimand publicly
                    • vtt(oN1.)+prep+N2complain about the contextually determinate matter N1 to N2
                    • vt+prep+Nblame
                    • vt(oN)arraign the contextually determinate N; make a public show of disapproval to N
                  • ràngPUSH
                    • vt(oN)reciprocal= ráng 攘: to thrust each other aside, to jostle each otherLZ

                  Additional information about 讓

                  說文解字:

                    Criteria
                  • DECENT

                    1. The current word in general use is jié 節 (ant. yín 淫 "unrestrained") which refers primarily to decency in behaviour.

                    2. Liáng 良 (ant.* bào 暴 "recklessness") is decency of attitude as well as decency in action.

                    3. Jiǎn 儉 (ant. chǐ 侈 "excessiveness") is the important virtue of decent restraint in Confucian moral spirituality and it is something cultivated by a moral effort.

                    4. Shú 淑 refers in a poetic way to the proper unassuming modesty of a person, especially of attractive women in ancient Chinese society.

                    5. Ràng 讓 (ant. màn 慢 "be impolite to") is marginal in this group and refers to polite deference in interaction with others. See YIELD

                  • FIGHT

                    1. The current general word for any form of conflict or competition is zhēng 爭 (ant. ràng 讓 "give polite precedence to"). However, the word specifically focusses on competition rather than physical violence.

                    2. Dòu 鬥, ōu 毆 and the rarer bó 搏 (ant. què 卻 "withdraw from conflict") refer to physical interpersonal violence and struggle.

                    3. Jìng 競 (ant. tuì 退 "withdraw from conflict") refers to intense competiton.

                    4. Shì fēi 是非 refers to a primarily non-physical verbal conflict, but in extended usage it can refer to any political dissension or conflict.

                    5. Fèn 奮 refers to a fierce physical strugge, often for a higher aim.

                    6. Zhàn 戰 (ant. hé 和 "make peace; hold the peace") normally refers to armed conflict (see BATTLE) but the word can occasionally refer to an inner struggle in one's chest: zwei Seelen wohnen, ach, in meiner Brust.

                    NB: Dāng 當 can refer to facing an opponent in battle, and the word is marginal in this group.

                  • BLAME

                    [ARCHAIC/CURRENT]

                    [DRAMATIC/UNDRAMATIC]

                    [ELEVATED/FAMILIAR]

                    [FACE-TO-FACE/NOT-FACE-TO-FACE]

                    [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

                    [HIGH-DEGREE/LOW-DEGREE]

                    [PRIVATE/PUBLIC]

                    1. The current general word for declaring someone morally rather than criminally responsible for a misdeed is jiù 咎 (ant. yù 譽 "praise").

                    [ARCHAIC?], [NOT-FACE-TO-FACE!], [PRIVATE]

                    2. Shǔ 數 refers to the recounting and publicly recounting and listing up of the misdeeds or mistakes someone has made.

                    [FACE-TO-FACE], [HIGH-DEGREE]

                    3. Zé 責 (ant. chēng 稱 "praise someone for something") often refers to the public apportioning of blame without the threat of legal action. [see ACCUSE]

                    [FORMAL], [FACE-TO-FACE]

                    4. Ràng 讓 (ant. zàn 贊 "commend strongly, in public") refers to strong public blame and abuse.

                    [DRAMATIC], [FACE-TO-FACE], [PUBLIC],

                    5. Qiào 誚 refers to a strong and often abusive public reprimand.

                    [DRAMATIC], [FACE-TO-FACE], [FAMILIAR]; [[RARE]]

                    5. Yóu 尤 often refers to official blame and censure, but there are archaic generalised uses of the word where it simply means "to apportion blame for something".

                    [ARCHAIC+], [ELEVATED], [NOT-FACE-TO-FACE]

                    6. Jí 疾 (ant. měi 美 "praise the splendid qualities of someone") refers to strong personal stricture.

                    [DRAMATIC], [FACE-TO-FACE], [INFORMAL]

                    7. Guò 過 (ant. yù 譽 ) typically refers to a mild and/or subjective moral disagreement with someone. See MISTAKE

                    [LOW-DEGREE], [MARGINAL]

                  • YIELD

                    1. The dominant general word referring to yielding politely to others or giving precedence to them is ràng 讓 (ant. líng 陵 "treat without proper respect").

                    2. Qiān 謙 (ant. jiāo 驕 "arrogant in attitude" and ào 傲 "impolite and arrogant in action") refers to the general attitude or disposition towards giving precedence to others.

                    3. Cí 辭 (ant. shòu 受 "accept") refers to declining politely an offer that has been made to one.

                    4. Xiè 謝 (ant. shòu 受 "accept") refers to informally but politely declining something offered to one in private context.

                    5. Shàn 禪 refers specifically to declining the high office of an emperor.

                    NB: Lǐ 禮 "treat with proper yielding politeness" is marginal in this group.

                  • ABDICATE

                    Ra4ng 讓 refers to abdication with a focus on this act being in favour of a successor.

                    Sha4n 禪 refers to abdication with a focus on this act being one of selflessness or lack of mundane ambition.

                    Word relations
                  • Ant: (BLAME)嘉/PRAISE Jiā 嘉 (ant. sǔn 損 "make belittling remarks about") refers to commending someone for a certain action or for past behaviour.
                  • Ant: (YIELD)奪/TAKE Duó 奪 is to take by force or threat of force.
                  • Assoc: (YIELD)揖/BOW DOWN Yī 揖 is a polite bow with one's hands held against one's chest.
                  • Assoc: (YIELD)禮/POLITE Lǐ 禮 "treat with proper yielding politeness" is marginal in this group.
                  • Assoc: (YIELD)辭/YIELD Cí 辭 (ant. shòu 受 "accept") refers to declining politely an offer that has been made to one.
                  • Assoc: (YIELD)辭/YIELD Cí 辭 (ant. shòu 受 "accept") refers to declining politely an offer that has been made to one.