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Kotomora

禅

Zen, silent meditation

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゼン
  • セン

Kun'yomi

  • しずか
  • ゆず.る

Meaning

禅 centers on a state of deep, quiet focus: the Zen Buddhist practice of silent meditation, and by extension the calm stillness that comes with it.

Most common words using 禅

20 of 45
  • 禅ぜん
    N1

    dhyana (profound meditation)

  • 座禅ざぜん
    N1

    zazen (seated Zen meditation, usu. in a cross-legged position)

  • 友禅ゆうぜん

    yuzen (dyeing method or pattern); silk printed by the yuzen process

  • 禅師ぜんじ

    monk; priest, particularly a high-ranking Zen monk honored by the imperial court

  • 禅宗ぜんしゅう

    Zen (Buddhism)

  • 禅僧ぜんそう

    Zen priest

  • 禅譲ぜんじょう

    abdication (of a Chinese emperor) in favor of a virtuous successor (as opposed to an heir)

  • 禅問答ぜんもんどう

    Zen dialogue; Zen questions and answers

  • 禅寺ぜんでら

    Zen temple

  • 友禅染ゆうぜんぞめ

    type of dyeing method or pattern; silk printed by the Yuzen process

  • 五門禅ごもんぜん

    five approaches to meditation; five objects of meditation

  • 京友禅きょうゆうぜん

    Kyoyuzen dyeing; Kyoto printed silk

  • 参禅さんぜん

    Zen meditation; meditative consultation with the head abbot

  • 友禅菊ゆうぜんぎく

    Tartarian aster (Aster Novi-Belgii)

  • 吹禅すいぜん

    Zen blowing meditation (performed with shakuhachi)

  • 如来禅にょらいぜん

    Zen Buddhism based on the original teachings of Buddha

  • 封禅ほうぜん

    ancient Chinese sacrificial ritual

  • 座禅草ざぜんそう

    eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

  • 曹洞禅そうとうぜん

    Soto Zen

  • 生禅なまぜん

    self-styled Zen philosophy; sciolism; dabbling in Zen

Explore all words using 禅 →

Study

Etymology

禅 is the modern simplified form of 禪. The older form combines 示 (altar, spirit) with 單, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of something singular or focused, together suggesting a focused spiritual practice.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 示 suggests something spiritual or ritual, and the right side 単 looks like a simple, focused arrangement. Picture a monk sitting in simple, silent meditation before an altar.

Reading mnemonic

For ゼン, imagine a Zen garden with raked sand and a single stone: Zen -> ゼン, and the scene is perfectly still and meditative.