noun
Nio; Deva kings; guardian gods of Buddhism
Refers to the two wrathful guardian deities (Agyō and Ungyō) placed at temple gates. Often seen in the phrase 仁王立ち (standing with arms akimbo like a Nio statue).
お寺の門の両側に仁王像が立っている。
Statues of the two Deva kings stand on either side of the temple gate.
彼は仁王立ちで私たちを待っていた
He was waiting for us standing with his arms folded like a Nio statue.
A common phrase meaning to stand with arms akimbo, derived from the imposing posture of Nio statues.
From the Buddhist term for the two guardian kings (仁王 or 二王), originally Sanskrit Vajrapāṇi, via Chinese.