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南無. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
南無, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
南無 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
南無 you have here. The definition of the word
南無 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
南無, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
Etymology
Borrowed from Sanskrit नमो (namo), the sandhi form of Sanskrit नमस् (namas, literally “a bow”) that appears before words beginning with a voiced consonant, which was presumably common in Buddhist texts.
The modern pronunciations are irregular in order to match the original Sanskrit pronunciation.
Pronunciation
Verb
南無
- (Buddhism) Used in Buddhist salutations or expressions of faith: to salute; to homage or to take refuge (a Buddha or a Bodhisattva).
Derived terms
Descendants
Japanese
Etymology 1
Transliteration of Sanskrit नमो (namo), from Sanskrit नमस् (námas, literally “a bow”), possibly via Middle Chinese 南無 (MC nom mju).
Compare Mandarin 南無 / 南无 (námó).
Pronunciation
Phrase
南無 • (namu)
- (Buddhism) Used in Buddhist salutations or expressions of faith: to salute; to homage or to take refuge (a Buddha or a Bodhisattva).
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Likely a borrowing from Mandarin 南無 / 南无 (námó).
Phrase
南無 • (namo)
- (Buddhism) Used in Buddhist salutations or expressions of faith: to salute; to homage or to take refuge (a Buddha or a Bodhisattva).
See also
References
- ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (1995), 大辞泉 (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
Vietnamese
Verb
南無
- chữ Hán form of nam mô (“(Buddhism, only in fixed expressions) to salute, to homage or to take refuge (a Buddha or a Bodhisattva)”).