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Kotomora

薩

salvation, Buddha

StatusJinmeiyōFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes17

Readings

On'yomi

  • サツ
  • サチ

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • さっ

Meaning

薩 centers on the concept of salvation and the Buddha, primarily used in Buddhist contexts to refer to bodhisattvas or enlightened beings who guide others to salvation.

Most common words using 薩

20 of 38
  • 薩摩さつま

    Satsuma (former province located in the west of present-day Kagoshima Prefecture)

  • 菩薩ぼさつ

    bodhisattva; one who has reached enlightenment but vows to save all beings before becoming a buddha

  • 薩長さっちょう

    Satsuma and Chōshū (clan alliance)

  • 弥勒菩薩みろくぼさつ

    Maitreya (Bodhisattva); Miroku

  • 大菩薩峠だいぼさつとうげ

    The Sword of Doom (1966 film)

  • 観世音菩薩かんぜおんぼさつ

    Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; Kwannon; Guanyin; Buddhist deity of compassion

  • 五大力菩薩ごだいりきぼさつ

    The Five Great Bodhisattvas (who uphold the Three Treasures and protect the sovereign)

  • 仏菩薩ぶつぼさつ

    buddhas and bodhisattvas

  • 八幡大菩薩はちまんだいぼさつ

    Great Bodhisattva Hachiman (title of Hachiman due to Shinto-Buddhist syncretism)

  • 勢至菩薩せいしぼさつ

    Mahasthamaprapta (bodhisattva)

  • 南無八幡大菩薩なむはちまんだいぼさつ

    O Great God of Arms, I beseech your aid against my enemy!

  • 地蔵菩薩じぞうぼさつ

    Kshitigarbha (bodhisattva who looks over children, travellers and the underworld); Ksitigarbha; Jizō

  • 地蔵菩薩本願経じぞうぼさつほんがんきょう

    Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva

  • 多羅菩薩たらぼさつ

    Tara (female aspect of Avalokitesvara)

  • 如菩薩にょぼさつ

    Buddha-like compassion

  • 妙見菩薩みょうけんぼさつ

    Myōken (bodhisattva; deification of the North Star or the Big Dipper)

  • 拉薩ラサ

    Lhasa (China)

  • 文殊菩薩もんじゅぼさつ

    Manjusri (Bodhisattva); Monju; Monjushuri; Wenshu

  • 日光菩薩にっこうぼさつ

    Suryaprabha (bodhisattva)

  • 普賢延命菩薩ふげんえんめいぼさつ

    image of the Samantabhadra of long life (with either two or twenty arms, usu. on a white elephant)

Explore all words using 薩 →

Study

Etymology

薩 is a phono-semantic compound used to transliterate Sanskrit sounds in Buddhist terms. It combines the grass radical 艹 with 隡, which contributes the sound. The character was created specifically for Buddhist transcription and has no independent ancient pictographic origin.

Meaning mnemonic

The top grass radical 艹 suggests something growing or spreading, while the bottom 隡 looks like a complex structure. Imagine a bodhisattva's compassion spreading like grass, bringing salvation to all beings.

Reading mnemonic

For サツ, picture a bodhisattva sitting in meditation: the word 'sits' sounds like サツ, and the bodhisattva sits to attain enlightenment and bring salvation.