What “SOFT” means

The challenges of translation.

The text comes from a Japanese site on martial arts, particularly Chinese.
There are problems in translating. If you don’t have a certain knowledge of martial arts, Google’s translation doesn’t make sense.
Some kanji express a concept instead of a simple English word or other Western language.

『松』（余計な力を抜くこと）は『柔』に向かう第一歩だ。
 ただ、『松』したからといって必ずしも『柔』になるわけではない。
松』し過ぎると（力を抜き過ぎると）、『柔』ではなく『軟』になってしまう。
『軟』はふぬけ、ふにゃふにゃしていて芯がない。力がない。それでは困る。
『柔』には強さがある。弾力がある。
『柔』と『軟』は似ているけれど、漢字を使う私たちには感覚的にその違いが分かるだろう・・・・豆腐は柔らかい、とは書かないはず・・・

松
Matsu (Jap): pine
Sōng (Chin): loose, to loosen, to relax

柔
róu (Chin):pliable, flexible
yawara (Jap): gentlenes, softness – Jū

軟
ruǎn (Chin): soft, flexible
Jap reading: On’yomi ナン (nan) soft : Kunyomi やわ(らかい) yawa(rakai)
nanka (Jap): softening
nanjaku (Jap): weakness

The original Google translation.

“Matsu” (relaxing excess strength) is the first step towards “softness”.
However, just because you are “pine” doesn’t necessarily mean you are “soft”.
If you do too much “pine” (too much looseness), it becomes “soft” instead of “soft”.
“Soft” is soft, squishy and has no core. I have no strength. That would be a problem.
“Softness” has strength. Elastic.
“Soft” and “soft” are similar, but those of us who use kanji will know the difference intuitively.

More understandable translation

“Matsu” (relaxing excess strength) is the first step towards “yawara”.
However, just because you are “matsu” doesn’t necessarily mean you are “yawara”.
If you do too much “matsu” (too much looseness), it becomes “軟” “ruǎn” instead of “yawara”.
“軟” “ruǎn” has no core, no strength.
“Yawara or Jū” has strength. Elastic.