Common Meanings
1
ruò若
If; supposing; in case: used to introduce a condition or hypothesis.
倘若明天下雨，我们就取消郊游。
If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the outing.
To be like; as if; seemingly; to act as if.
他吃饭时总是旁若无人地玩手机。
He always plays with his phone as if no one else is around when eating.
You, your (archaic; used as a second-person pronoun, similar to 'thou' or 'thee' in classical Chinese, or as a possessive 'your').
吾已将一切告知于若。
I have already told you everything.
Approximately; some amount; a certain number or quantity.
店里还剩若干个苹果。
There are still some apples left in the store.
This; such; in this way; similar to 'such as' or 'if' in classical Chinese when referring to the preceding context or a hypothetical situation.
若此做法，难免失败。
Such an approach is bound to fail.
To comply with; to act in accordance with (rules, instructions).
一切若规章行事，就不会出错。
If everything is done in accordance with the rules, there will be no mistakes.
When pronounced ruò, this character refers to 'Hairuo' (海若), the sea god in ancient Chinese mythology.
面对无垠的大海，人们常感叹于若的深不可测。
Facing the boundless sea, people often sigh at the unfathomable depths of Ruo (the sea god).
Refers to 'Ruò Mù', the name of a mythical tree in ancient Chinese legends.
传说若木是连接天地的神树。
Legend has it that Ruò Mù is a divine tree connecting heaven and earth.
Refers to 'Du Ruo' (a fragrant herb mentioned in ancient texts), or its flower, 'ruò yīng'.
山谷中弥漫着若英的清香。
The fresh fragrance of *ruò yīng* (Du Ruo flowers) pervades the valley.
An introductory particle in classical Chinese, often used with '夫' (fú) to introduce a new topic or a rhetorical question, meaning 'as for' or 'if'.
若夫美景当前，何不驻足欣赏？
Given such a beautiful scene before us, why not pause and enjoy it?
Used after an adjective or adverb to describe the state or appearance of something, often with a poetic or literary nuance.
花朵灿若朝霞。
The flowers are as brilliant as the morning glow.
2
rě若
Used exclusively in the Buddhist term '般若' (bān rě), which refers to 'Prajna', a profound wisdom or insight.
佛教强调通过修习般若来获得智慧。
Buddhism emphasizes gaining wisdom through practicing Prajna.