Take wood for example. Since wood generates fire, it is the mother of fire; because wood is also generated by water, so it is the " child" of water.

以木行为例。由于木生火， 它是火之" 母" ；因为木也是由水生的， 所以它是水之" 子" 。

Inter-generation means that one kind of object generates, strengthens or brings forth another. For example, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, and water, in turn, generates wood.

相生指一事物对另一事物具有促进、助长和资生的作用。比如，木生火，火生土，土生金，金生水，水生木。