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善哉. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
善哉, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
善哉 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
善哉 you have here. The definition of the word
善哉 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
善哉, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
Etymology
- Buddhist interjection
- Calque of Pali sādhu.
Pronunciation
| Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
|
| Character
|
善
|
哉
|
哉
|
| Reading #
|
1/1
|
1/2
|
2/2
|
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)
|
shàn
|
zāi
|
zāi
|
Middle
Chinese
|
‹ dzyenX ›
|
‹ tsoj ›
|
‹ tsoj ›
|
Old
Chinese
|
/*eʔ/
|
/*ˁə/
|
/*ˁə/
|
| English
|
good
|
begin
|
(particle)
|
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
|
| Zhengzhang system (2003)
|
| Character
|
善
|
哉
|
| Reading #
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
| No.
|
11084
|
16490
|
Phonetic
component
|
善
|
|
Rime
group
|
元
|
之
|
Rime
subdivision
|
2
|
0
|
Corresponding
MC rime
|
善
|
烖
|
Old
Chinese
|
/*ɡjenʔ/
|
/*ʔslɯː/
|
Interjection
善哉
- (literary or Buddhism) good, well, excellent, wonderful
齊景公問政於孔子。孔子對曰：「君君，臣臣，父父，子子。」公曰：「善哉！信如君不君，臣不臣，父不父，子不子，雖有粟，吾得而食諸？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
齐景公问政于孔子。孔子对曰：「君君，臣臣，父父，子子。」公曰：「善哉！信如君不君，臣不臣，父不父，子不子，虽有粟，吾得而食诸？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
- Qí Jǐnggōng wèn zhèng yú Kǒngzǐ. Kǒngzǐ duì yuē: “Jūn jūn, chén chén, fù fù, zǐ zǐ.” Gōng yuē: “Shànzāi! Xìn rú jūn bùjūn, chén bùchén, fù bùfù, zǐ bùzǐ, suī yǒu sù, wú dé ér shí zhū?”
- The duke Jing, of Qi, asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son." "Good!" said the duke; "if, indeed, the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?"
佛言：「善哉！善哉！須菩提、如汝所說。如來善護念諸菩薩、善付囑諸菩薩。汝今諦聽、當爲汝說。善男子、善女人。發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。應如是住如是降伏其心。」 [MSC, trad.]
佛言：「善哉！善哉！须菩提、如汝所说。如来善护念诸菩萨、善付嘱诸菩萨。汝今谛听、当为汝说。善男子、善女人。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。应如是住如是降伏其心。」 [MSC, simp.]- From: 《金剛般若波羅蜜經》Diamond Sutra, Chinese translation by Kumārajīva. 2013 English translation by A. Charles Muller
- Fó yán: “Shànzāi! Shànzāi! Xūpútí, rú rǔ suǒshuō. Rúlái shàn hùniàn zhūpúsà, shàn fùzhǔ zhūpúsà. Rǔ jīn dì tīng, dāng wèi rǔ shuō. Shàn nánzǐ, shàn nǚrén. Fā ānòuduōluósānmiǎosānpútí xīn. Yìng rúshì zhù rúshì xiángfú qí xīn.”
- The Buddha said, “Excellent! Excellent! Subhūti, it is as you have said. The Tathāgata is well mindful of all the bodhisattvas, and is skilful at keeping them in his fold. Now you listen well, and I shall explain it for you. If good sons and good daughters would like to arouse the mind of peerless perfect enlightenment, they should abide like this and subdue their thoughts like this.”
Descendants
Japanese
Etymology 1
Pronunciation
Noun
善哉 • (zenzai)
- red-bean soup
- Synonym: 汁粉
Interjection
善哉 • (zenzai)
- (literary or archaic) excellent; wonderful
Derived terms
Etymology 2
| For pronunciation and definitions of 善哉 – see the following entry.
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|
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| (This term, 善哉, is an alternative spelling (dated) of the above term.)
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References