神通

Chinese

		God; unusual; mysterious God; unusual; mysterious; soul; spirit; divine essence; lively; spiritual being	go through; know well; to connect go through; know well; to connect; to communicate; open
trad. (神通)		神	通
simp. #(神通)		神	通
anagram		通神

Etymology

Calque of Sanskrit अभिज्ञा (abhijñā, “higher knowledge”, अभि- (abhi-, “over”) + ज्ञा (jñā, “to know”)). Originally a Buddhist concept, it referred to one who possessed divine powers. Later on, it came to be used metaphorically to describe to anyone with a special talent.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shéntōng

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣˊ ㄊㄨㄥ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): san⁴ tung¹
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): sîn-thong

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shéntōng
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄣˊ ㄊㄨㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shéntong
    • Wade–Giles: shên²-tʻung¹
    • Yale: shén-tūng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sherntong
    • Palladius: шэньтун (šɛnʹtun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən³⁵ tʰʊŋ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: san⁴ tung¹
    • Yale: sàhn tūng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: san⁴ tung¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sen⁴ tung¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐn²¹ tʰʊŋ⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sîn-thong
    • Tâi-lô: sîn-thong
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sintofng
    • IPA (Xiamen): /sin²⁴⁻²² tʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /sin²⁴⁻²² tʰɔŋ³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /sin¹³⁻²² tʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /sin²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /sin²³⁻³³ tʰɔŋ⁴⁴/

Noun

神通

1. special talent; remarkable ability
2. magical power

Derived terms

• 八仙過海，各顯神通／八仙过海，各显神通 (bāxiānguòhǎi, gèxiǎnshéntōng)
• 再顯神通／再显神通
• 各顯神通／各显神通 (gèxiǎnshéntōng)
• 大神通
• 大顯神通／大显神通 (dàxiǎnshéntōng)
• 神通廣大／神通广大 (shéntōngguǎngdà)

 

Related terms

• 靈通／灵通 (língtōng)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
神	通
じん Grade: 3	つう > ずう Grade: 2
goon

Alternative spelling
神通 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 神通. First cited to a work from 810.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) じんずう [jìńzúú] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑĩnd͡zɨː]

Noun

神(じん)通(ずう) • (jinzū) ^{←じんづう (zinduu)?}
神通(じんつう) • (jintsū) 

1. [from 810] (Buddhism) a superpower, a divine or special talent or power, specifically one of the six abhijñā (“supernatural powers”) gained through Buddhist practice

   Synonym: 神通力 (jintsūriki)

See also

• 神(じん)通(ずう)川(がわ) (Jinzūgawa, “Jinzū River”)
• 六(ろく)神(じん)通(ずう) (roku jinzū, “the six abhijñā (“supernatural powers”)”)