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化人 (けにん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

化け人にん

け

に

ん

Meanings

1

noun

manifestation in human form; avatar

Buddhism

Buddhist term for a Buddha or Bodhisattva appearing in human form. Rare; mainly encountered in religious texts.

仏ぶっ典てんには、仏ほとけが化け人にんとして現あらわれる話はなしが記しるされている。
Buddhist scriptures record stories of Buddhas appearing as human manifestations.

Kanji

化change, take the form of, influence
人person

Similar words

化け身しん
化身 is a more common term for incarnation or avatar, not limited to Buddhism. 化人 specifically refers to a Buddha or Bodhisattva taking human form.

Etymology

From 化 (change, transform) + 人 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is used in Buddhist contexts to describe a divine being taking human shape.