Rouruo (柔弱, Soft and Weak) in the Dao De Jing: Meaning and Occurrences
In the Dao De Jing, rouruo (柔弱) means soft and weak: the text says the soft and weak overcome the hard and strong, and are companions of life, as the hard and stiff are companions of death.
柔弱 (róu ruò) joins 柔, "soft, supple", and 弱, "weak". The text uses the two words together and each one alone, always in the same direction, so this page counts all three: 柔弱 together, 柔 alone and 弱 alone. 弱 as a verb, "to weaken", is not counted.
The rule is stated plainly in chapter 36: the soft and weak overcome the hard and strong. Chapter 78 gives water as the example, and chapter 43 says that the softest thing in the world runs through the hardest. Chapter 40 says that weakness is the use of the Way.
Chapter 76 finds it in living things: people are soft and weak when alive, hard and stiff when dead, and so are grass and trees; the soft and weak are companions of life. The newborn child of chapter 55 has weak bones and soft sinews, yet a firm grip, and chapter 52 says that keeping to the soft is called strength.
Every occurrence of 柔弱
Chapter 10
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Line 3
专气致柔，
Make your breathing soft,
Chapter 36
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Line 6
柔弱胜刚强。
The soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.
Chapter 40
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Line 2
弱者，道之用。
weakness is the use of the Way.
Chapter 43
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Line 1
天下之至柔，驰骋天下之至坚。
The softest thing in the world runs through the hardest thing in the world.
Chapter 52
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Line 9
见小曰明，守柔曰强。
Seeing the small is called clarity; keeping to the soft is called strength.
Chapter 55
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Line 4
骨弱筋柔而握固。
His bones are weak, his sinews soft, yet his grip is firm.
Chapter 76
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Line 1
人之生也柔弱，其死也坚强。
People are soft and weak when alive, hard and stiff when dead.
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Line 2
万物草木之生也柔脆，
Grass and trees are soft and tender when alive,
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Line 5
柔弱者生之徒。
the soft and weak are companions of life.
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Line 8
强大处下，柔弱处上。
The hard and great take the lower place; the soft and weak take the higher place.