禪

See also: 禅

禪 U+79AA, 禪 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-79AA ← 禩 [U+79A9] CJK Unified Ideographs 禫 → [U+79AB]

Translingual

Traditional	禪
Simplified	禅
Japanese	禅
Korean	禪

Han character

禪 (Kangxi radical 113, 示+12, 17 strokes, cangjie input 戈火口口十 (IFRRJ), four-corner 3625₆, composition ⿰礻單)

Descendants

• 禅

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 846, character 36
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 24835
• Dae Jaweon: page 1267, character 26
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2408, character 10
• Unihan data for U+79AA

Chinese

trad.		禪
simp.		禅

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 禪
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (單) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
嚲	*taːlʔ
癉	*taːlʔ, *taːls, *taːn, *daːn
奲	*taːlʔ, *tʰjaːlʔ
驒	*daːl, *daːn, *teːn
鼉	*daːl
磾	*teːl
鷤	*deːl, *deːls, *daːn
觶	*tjal, *tjals
單	*taːn, *djan, *djanʔ, *djans
鄲	*taːn
殫	*taːn
簞	*taːn
匰	*taːn
襌	*taːn
彈	*daːn, *daːns
貚	*daːn, *deːn
撣	*daːn, *daːnʔ, *daːns, *djan, *taːnʔ
潬	*daːnʔ
僤	*daːnʔ, *daːns, *djan
憚	*daːns
樿	*tjanʔ
燀	*tjanʔ, *tʰjan, *tʰjanʔ
戰	*tjans
闡	*tʰjanʔ
繟	*tʰjanʔ
幝	*tʰjanʔ
嘽	*tʰaːn, *tʰjanʔ
灛	*tʰjanʔ
蟬	*djan
禪	*djan, *djans
嬋	*djan
墠	*djanʔ
鱓	*djanʔ
蕇	*teːnʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *djan, *djans) : semantic 示 + phonetic 單 (OC *taːn, *djan, *djanʔ, *djans).

Etymology

Pronunciation 1 is short for 禪那, which is a borrowing from Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna, “dhyana”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): chán (chan²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄔㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sim⁴ / sin⁴
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): sàm
• Eastern Min (BUC): sièng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): siân / sîⁿ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): siam⁵ / siêng⁵ / siang⁵

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zoe

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: chán
    • Zhuyin: ㄔㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: chán
    • Wade–Giles: chʻan²
    • Yale: chán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: charn
    • Palladius: чань (čanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰän³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: sim⁴ / sin⁴
    • Yale: sìhm / sìhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sim⁴ / sin⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: xim⁴ / xin⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːm²¹/, /siːn²¹/

Note: sim4 - from dissimilation of initial and coda. Compare 蟬.

• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sàm
    • Hakka Romanization System: sam^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sam²
    • Sinological IPA: /sam¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: sièng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sieŋ⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siân
    • Tâi-lô: siân
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sieen
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /siɛn¹³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /siɛn²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /siɛn²³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sîⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: sînn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: svii
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /sĩ²⁴/

Note:

• siân - literary;
• sîⁿ - vernacular.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: siam⁵ / siêng⁵ / siang⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siâm / siêng / siâng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siam⁵⁵/, /sieŋ⁵⁵/, /siaŋ⁵⁵/

Note:

• siêng5 - Chaozhou;
• siang5 - Shantou, Chenghai.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zoe
    • MiniDict: zoe^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zø²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: dzyen

Rime
Character	禪
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	常 (25)
Final (韻)	仙 (77)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	市連切
Baxter	dzyen
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡ʑiᴇn/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡ʑiɛn/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡ʑjæn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡ʑian/
Li Rong	/ʑiɛn/
Wang Li	/ʑĭɛn/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʑi̯ɛn/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chán
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sin4

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*djan/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	禪
Reading #	1/2
No.	2031
Phonetic component	單
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	鋋
Old Chinese	/*djan/

Definitions

禪

1. (Buddhism) dhyana; deep meditation; contemplation
2. Buddhist doctrine; Buddhist teachings
3. relating to Buddhism; Buddhist; thoughtful; philosophical

Compounds

• 一味禪 / 一味禅
• 參禪 / 参禅 (cānchán)
• 口頭禪 / 口头禅 (kǒutóuchán)
• 四禪八定 / 四禅八定
• 坐禪 / 坐禅 (zuòchán)
• 安禪 / 安禅
• 悟禪 / 悟禅
• 打禪 / 打禅
• 打禪七 / 打禅七
• 枯禪 / 枯禅
• 牛頭禪 / 牛头禅
• 班禪 / 班禅 (bānchán)
• 班禪喇嘛 / 班禅喇嘛 (bānchán lǎma)
• 看話禪 / 看话禅
• 禪七 / 禅七
• 禪味 / 禅味
• 禪和子 / 禅和子
• 禪堂 / 禅堂 (chántáng)
• 禪學 / 禅学 (chánxué)
• 禪宗 / 禅宗 (chánzōng)
• 禪定 / 禅定 (chándìng)
• 禪宗七祖 / 禅宗七祖
• 禪室 / 禅室
• 禪客 / 禅客
• 禪寂 / 禅寂
• 禪寺 / 禅寺 (chánsì)
• 禪師 / 禅师 (chánshī)
• 禪床 / 禅床
• 禪心 / 禅心
• 禪悅 / 禅悦
• 禪悟 / 禅悟 (chánwù)
• 禪房 / 禅房 (chánfáng)
• 禪數 / 禅数
• 禪杖 / 禅杖 (chánzhàng)
• 禪林 / 禅林 (chánlín)
• 禪椅 / 禅椅
• 禪機 / 禅机 (chánjī)
• 禪號 / 禅号
• 禪詩 / 禅诗
• 禪那 / 禅那
• 禪門五宗 / 禅门五宗
• 禪關 / 禅关
• 野狐禪 / 野狐禅 (yěhúchán)
• 面壁坐禪 / 面壁坐禅
• 默照禪 / 默照禅

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (禪):

• → Japanese: 禅(ぜん) (zen) (see there for further descendants)
• → Korean: 선(禪) (seon)
• → Vietnamese: thiền (禪)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shàn (shan⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄢˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sin⁶
• Eastern Min (BUC): siêng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): siān

  (Teochew, Peng'im): siam⁶ / siang⁶

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zoe

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shàn
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄢˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shàn
    • Wade–Giles: shan⁴
    • Yale: shàn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shann
    • Palladius: шань (šanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂän⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: sin⁶
    • Yale: sihn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sin⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: xin⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːn²²/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: siêng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siɛŋ²⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siān
    • Tâi-lô: siān
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sien
    • IPA (Xiamen): /siɛn²²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /siɛn⁴¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /siɛn²²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /siɛn³³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /siɛn³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: siam⁶ / siang⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siăm / siăng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siam³⁵/, /siaŋ³⁵/

Note: siang6 - Chenghai.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zoe
    • MiniDict: zoe^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zø²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: dzyenH

Rime
Character	禪
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	常 (25)
Final (韻)	仙 (77)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	時戰切
Baxter	dzyenH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡ʑiᴇnH/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡ʑiɛnH/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡ʑjænH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡ʑianH/
Li Rong	/ʑiɛnH/
Wang Li	/ʑĭɛnH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʑi̯ɛnH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shàn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sin6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[d]ar-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*djans/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	禪
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shàn
Middle Chinese	‹ dzyenH ›
Old Chinese	/*[d]ar-s/
English	hand over to another
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] 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	禪
Reading #	2/2
No.	2036
Phonetic component	單
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	繕
Old Chinese	/*djans/

Definitions

禪

1. (obsolete) to offer sacrifices to nature

   See also: 封

   • 封於泰山，禪於梁父。封禪之王，七十二家。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     封于泰山，禅于梁父。封禅之王，七十二家。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Guanzi, 5^th century BCE to 220 CE

     Fēng yú Tàishān, Shàn yú Liángfǔ. Fēngshàn zhī wáng, qīshí'èr jiā. [Pinyin]

     Some sevety-two kings performed the Feng sacrifice [to Heaven] on Mount Tai and the Shan sacrifice [to Earth] on Liangfu (translation based on Rickett, 1998)

   • 是以封泰山而禪梁甫，朝諸侯而一天下。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     是以封泰山而禅梁甫，朝诸侯而一天下。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 《大戴禮記》 Records of Ritual Matters by Dai the Elder, Late Western Han

     Shìyǐ fēng Tàishān ér shàn Liángfǔ, cháo zhūhóu ér yī tiānxià. [Pinyin]

     So he offered sacrifices to Heaven at Mount Tai and offer sacrifices to Earth at Liangfu; he gathered the various princes and united All under Heaven.

2. to abdicate and pass the throne to someone

   • 孔子曰：『唐虞禪，夏后、殷、周繼，其義一也。』 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     孔子曰：『唐虞禅，夏后、殷、周继，其义一也。』 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Kǒngzǐ yuē: ‘Tángyú shàn, Xiàhòu, Yīn, Zhōu jì, qí yì yī yě.’ [Pinyin]

     Confucius said, "Tang and Yu resigned the throne to their worthy ministers. The sovereign of Xia and those of Yin and Zhou transmitted it to their sons. The principle of righteousness was the same in all the cases."

3. to succeed; to replace

Compounds

• 受禪 / 受禅 (shòushàn)
• 封禪 / 封禅 (fēngshàn)
• 禪位 / 禅位 (shànwèi)
• 禪讓 / 禅让 (shànràng)

 

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Tán (Tan²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄊㄢˊ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Tán
    • Zhuyin: ㄊㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Tán
    • Wade–Giles: Tʻan²
    • Yale: Tán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Tarn
    • Palladius: Тань (Tanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰän³⁵/

Definitions

禪

1. name of an ancient state

References

• “禪”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Shinjitai	禅
Kyūjitai	禪

Kanji

禪

(Jinmeiyō kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 禅)

1. dhyana; deep meditation; contemplation

Readings

• Go-on: ぜん (zen)
• Kan-on: せん (sen)
• Kun: しずか (shizuka, 禪)^{←しづか (siduka, 禪, historical)}、ゆずる (yuzuru, 禪る)^{←ゆづる (yuduru, 禪る, historical)}

Korean

Hanja

禪 • (seon) (hangeul 선, revised seon, McCune–Reischauer sŏn, Yale sen)

1. Zen

Vietnamese

Han character

禪: Hán Nôm readings: thiền, thiện, thuyền, xèng

1. Dhyana
2. Zen Buddhism