Wanwu (万物, the Myriad Things) in the Dao De Jing: Meaning and Occurrences
In the Dao De Jing, wanwu (万物), literally "the ten thousand things", means everything that exists: the Way gives birth to them and nourishes them without making itself their master.
万物 (wàn wù) is literally "the ten thousand things": everything that exists. This site translates it "the myriad things" and sometimes "all things"; the French translation says "les dix mille êtres", the ten thousand beings.
The text is often concerned with where they come from. Chapter 1 calls the named 万物之母, the mother of the myriad things; chapter 40 says they are born from presence, and presence from absence; chapter 42 says three gives birth to the myriad things. In chapter 51 the Way gives them life and virtue nourishes them.
It also describes how they are treated. In chapter 34 the myriad things rely on the Way for life and it does not refuse them; it clothes and feeds them but does not act as their master. Chapter 5 says heaven and earth are not humane and treat the myriad things like straw dogs, and in chapter 16 the myriad things arise together while the speaker watches their return.
Every occurrence of 万物
Chapter 1
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Line 4
有名万物之母。
Naming is a concept born from terrestrial beings.
Chapter 2
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Line 7
行不言之教，万物作焉而不辞，
Carries out unspoken guidance. The myriad things conform to the same law, without a word.
Chapter 4
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Line 2
渊兮似万物之宗。
So deep as to be the ancestor of the myriad things.
Chapter 5
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Line 1
天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；
Heaven and earth are inhumane, they treat all things like ritual dolls.
Chapter 8
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Line 2
水善利万物而不争，
Water benefits all things without struggle,
Chapter 16
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Line 2
万物并作，吾以观复。
The myriad things act in concert, I therefore watch their return.
Chapter 32
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Line 4
万物将自宾。
the myriad things would come to them as guests of their own accord.
Chapter 34
Chapter 37
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Line 3
万物将自化。
the myriad things would transform of themselves.
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
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Line 3
天下万物生于有，
The myriad things of the world are born from presence,
Chapter 42
Chapter 51
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Line 3
是以万物莫不尊道而贵德。
So among the myriad things none fails to honor the Way and value virtue.
Chapter 62
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Line 1
道者万物之奥。
The Way is the hidden refuge of the myriad things,
Chapter 64
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Line 18
以辅万物之自然，而不敢为。
He helps the myriad things to be as they are of themselves, and does not dare to act.
Chapter 76
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Line 2
万物草木之生也柔脆，
Grass and trees are soft and tender when alive,