如是

Chinese

Pronunciation

Adjective

如是

1. (literary) like this; so; such

   • 莊王怪而問曰：「寡人德薄，又未嘗異子，子何故出死不疑如是？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     庄王怪而问曰：「寡人德薄，又未尝异子，子何故出死不疑如是？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 77 B.C.E., 劉向 (Liu Xiang), 《說苑》 (Garden of Stories), chapter 6

     Zhuāngwáng guài ér wèn yuē: “Guǎrén débó, yòu wèicháng yì zǐ, zǐ hégù chūsǐ bù yí rúshì?”

     King Zhuang thought it strange, and asked him, "I am not a particularly virtuous person, nor have I granted you any special favors. Why would you fight like this, as if your life depended on it?"

Synonyms

• (literary) 如此 (rúcǐ)

Derived terms

Japanese

Etymology

From Old Japanese, in turn from Middle Chinese 如是 (MC nyo dzyeX). Used to translate Sanskrit एवम् (evam, “such, thus”).

First cited to the Buddhist text 勝鬘経義疏 (Shōmangyō Gisho), part of the 三経義疏 (Sangyō Gisho) dated to 611. The text is written in 漢文 (kanbun), a kind of specialized Classical Chinese adapted slightly for Japanese readers. The first citation in a definitively Japanese-language text might not be until the 正法眼蔵 (Shōbōgenzō) compiled during the years 1231–53.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にょ​ぜ (Atamadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

如(にょ)是(ぜ) • (nyoze) 

1. (Buddhism) like this
2. (Buddhism) short for 十如是 (jū-nyoze): the ten thusnesses of the Tendai sect
3. (Buddhism) expression of approval of something said by another person

Derived terms

• 如(にょ)是(ぜ)我(が)聞(もん) (nyoze gamon, “thus I hear”)
• 十(じゅう)如(にょ)是(ぜ) (jū-nyoze, “ten thusnesses of the Tendai sect”)

References