Japanese word

仏

Pronunciation

Romajihotoke

Meaning

  • nounBuddha

Example

毎朝、仏を拝みます。mai asa hotoke o oga mi ma su

I worship the Buddha every morning.

Illustration for 仏 (Buddha)

More examples

旅先の寺で、静かに仏に祈りました。tabi saki no tera de shizu ka ni hotoke ni ino ri ma shi ta

I quietly prayed to the Buddha at a temple during my trip.

Core concept

Refers to a being who has awakened beyond ordinary delusion and is honored as a Buddha, as well as the sacred form representing that being.

Common phrases

  • 仏を拝むhotoke o oga mu

    worship the Buddha

  • 仏の教えhotoke no oshi e

    the teachings of the Buddha

Similar words

仏様futsusama: A polite and reverent name for a Buddha or a sacred image representing one.
仏陀butsuda: A formal name for an awakened being in Buddhist teaching.

Definition in Japanese

仏教で、迷いを離れて悟りを開いた者、またはその姿を表した像。buk kyō de mayo i o hana re te sato ri o hira i ta mono ma ta wa so no sugata o arawa shi ta zō

Word origin

仏 (hotoke, "Buddha") uses the character 佛 (butsu, "Buddha"), whose form comes from Chinese Buddhist writing and appears in 佛陀 (butsuda, "Buddha"), a rendering of Sanskrit buddha.

Usage tips

  • The expression 仏になる (hotoke ni naru) can serve as a respectful euphemism for dying, a meaning that differs from the word's religious sense.

Other meanings

  • Shakyamuninoun

Word lists with this word