Om; A-un; primordial syllable
In Buddhist and Hindu thought, the sacred syllable representing the beginning and end of all things, often associated with the trinity of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. In Japanese Buddhism, it symbolizes the first and last sounds, and by extension, the universe.
from Sanskrit
breathing in and out; alpha and omega; perfect harmony
From the open-mouth 'a' (exhalation) and closed-mouth 'un' (inhalation), it metaphorically means the beginning and end, or two things that are perfectly matched. Often used in the phrase 阿吽の呼吸 (あうんのこきゅう) to describe an unspoken, intuitive synchronization between people.
A-un is said to be the sound that represents the beginning and end of the universe.
A couple who have been together for many years have an intuitive, unspoken understanding.
They worked together in perfect sync, as if breathing in and out.
Standard kanji form. 阿 represents the open-mouth 'a' sound, 吽 the closed-mouth 'un' sound.
Kana spelling is common, especially in everyday contexts like あうんの呼吸.
Katakana spelling, sometimes used for stylistic or emphasis purposes.
Rare variant kanji form; 呍 is an alternative character for the 'un' sound.
From Sanskrit 'Om' (ॐ), the sacred syllable in Hinduism and Buddhism. In Japanese, it is represented by the two characters 阿 (a, open mouth) and 吽 (un, closed mouth), symbolizing the beginning and end, inhalation and exhalation, and the universe.