無む縁えん

む

え

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective, noun

unrelated; unconnected; having nothing to do with

Describes a lack of connection, relevance, or involvement. Often used with ～とは無縁だ or ～に無縁な.

Antonyms: 有縁

彼かれは政せい治じとは無む縁えんの生せい活かつを送おくっている。

He leads a life completely unrelated to politics.

この事じ件けんは私わたしには無む縁えんだ。

This incident has nothing to do with me.

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

without surviving relatives; without family ties

Especially used for a deceased person who has no relatives to perform memorial rites or manage their affairs. Common in phrases like 無縁仏 (a Buddha image or grave without caretakers).

無む縁えんの死し者しゃが増ふえている。
The number of deceased people with no surviving relatives is increasing.
彼かれは天てん涯がい孤こ独どくで、無む縁えんのまま亡なくなった。
He was all alone in the world and died without any family ties.

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

unrelated to Buddha's teachings; unable to be saved by Buddha

Buddhism›

Buddhist term. Refers to beings who lack a karmic connection to Buddhism and thus cannot receive its benefits. Antonym: 有縁 (うえん).

Antonyms: 有縁

仏ぶっ教きょうでは、無む縁えんの衆しゅ生じょうを救すくうことは難むずかしいとされる。
In Buddhism, it is said to be difficult to save sentient beings who have no connection to the teachings.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉とは無む縁えんだto have nothing to do with something
彼かれの成せい功こうは運うんとは無む縁えんだった。
His success had nothing to do with luck.
〈事こと〉に無む縁えんな〈物もの〉something free from or untouched by X
彼かれはストレスに無む縁えんな生せい活かつを送おくっている。
He leads a life free from stress.
〈事こと〉とは無む縁えんではないto not be entirely unrelated to something
彼かれの失しっ敗ぱいは準じゅん備び不ぶ足そくとは無む縁えんではない。
His failure is not entirely unrelated to a lack of preparation.

Kanji

無nothingness, none, ain't
縁affinity, relation, connection

Related words

無む関かん係けいN1sense 1
無関係 is the neutral, everyday word for 'unrelated,' while 無縁 is more literary and often stresses a complete lack of any connection, as in ～とは無縁だ.
疎そ遠えんN1sense 1
疎遠 describes a relationship that has grown distant over time, whereas 無縁 implies there was never any connection to begin with.

Opposites

有う縁えん sense 1
having a karmic connection to Buddha; able to be saved by Buddha · related; relevant; having a connection
ゆかり
無縁 means having no connection or relation to something, the direct opposite of the meaningful tie expressed by ゆかり.
縁えんN2
無縁 means having no connection or relationship at all, the direct opposite of 縁's sense of a fated bond or tie.

Don't confuse with

因いん縁ねん
因縁 refers to a karmic cause-and-effect bond or a fateful connection, while 無縁 denotes the absence of any such bond, so learners should not confuse the two despite sharing the kanji 縁.

Word family

無む縁えん仏ぼとけ
unconnected Buddha; spirit of someone who died with no one to tend their grave
無む縁えん塚づか
tomb for those without mourners
無む縁えん墓ばか
unvisited grave; grave with no mourners

Etymology

Compound of 無 (mu, 'without') and 縁 (en, 'connection, relation, fate'). The Buddhist sense derives from the concept of karmic affinity.

法ほう界かい無む縁えん

all-encompassing mercy of the Buddha

無む縁えん墓ぼ地ち

cemetery for those without relatives; potter's field

無む縁えん社しゃ会かい

society of disconnected individuals; atomized society