観音

See also: 觀音 and 观音

Japanese

Kanji in this term
観	音
かん Grade: 4	おん > のん Grade: 1
goon

Alternative spelling
觀音 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

/kwan.omʉ/ → /kwan.on/ → /kwanːon/ → /kanːoɴ/

From Middle Chinese 觀音 (kwan ʔim). The on reading for 音 changes to non as an instance of renjō (連声).

Origianlly a shortening of 観世音 (Kanzeon, literally “perceiver of the world's sounds”), itself a calque of Sanskrit अवलोकितेश्वर (Avalokiteśvara).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) かんのん [kàńnóń] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [kã̠nːõ̞ɴ]

Proper noun

観(かん)音(のん) • (Kannon) ^{←くわんおん (Kwan'on)?}

1. (Buddhism) Short for 観世音菩薩 (Kanzeon Bosatsu): Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion; also known in some cultures as Guanyin, the goddess of mercy

   Synonym: 観音菩薩 (Kannon Bosatsu)

Derived terms

• 観(かん)音(のん)の本(ほん)誓(ぜい) (Kannon no honzei)
• 観(かん)音(のん)菩(ぼ)薩(さつ) (Kannon Bosatsu)
• 浅(あさ)草(くさ)観(かん)音(のん) (Asakusa Kannon)
• 七(しち)観(かん)音(のん) (Shichi Kannon)
• 妻(つま)観(かん)音(のん) (Tsumakannon)
• 六(ろく)観(かん)音(のん) (Roku Kannon), 六(ろっ)観(かん)音(のん) (Rokkannon)

Idioms

• 後(あと)暗(くら)い観(かん)音(のん) (atokurai Kannon)
• 尻(しり)暗(くら)い観(かん)音(のん) (shirikurai Kannon)

Descendants

• English: Kannon, Kwannon

See also

• 観(かん)世(ぜ)音(おん) (Kanzeon)
• 観(かん)自(じ)在(ざい) (Kanjizai)