祆
Ormazda, god of the Zoroastrians (extended to god of the Manicheans)
Readings
On'yomi
- ケン
- テン
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
祆 centers on a specific Zoroastrian deity: Ormazda (Ahura Mazda), the supreme god. The meaning was later extended to include the god of the Manicheans, but the core remains a named divine figure rather than a general concept.
Most common words using 祆
- 祆教けんきょう
Zoroastrianism (esp. in China)
Study
Etymology
祆 combines 示 (altar, religious) with 天 (heaven), likely created to represent a foreign supreme deity associated with heaven. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the components suggest a constructed character for a specific religious context.
Meaning mnemonic
An altar 示 to heaven 天: picture a Zoroastrian fire altar under the open sky, dedicated to the supreme god Ormazda.
Reading mnemonic
For ケン, imagine Ken, a devoted Zoroastrian priest, standing at the altar 示 beneath the heavens 天, chanting to Ormazda: Ken -> ケン.