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無間地獄 (むけんじごく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
Avici hell ; hell of uninterrupted suffering
yojijukugo (four-character idiom) Buddhism
Buddhist term for the eighth and most painful of the eight hot hells, where suffering is continuous without pause. Also used figuratively for an unbearable situation.
彼かれ は その 状じょう 況きょう を 無む 間けん 地じ 獄ごく に 例たと え た 。
He likened the situation to the hell of uninterrupted suffering.
Written forms 無間地獄
無む 限げん 地じ 獄ごく
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage that substitutes 限 for 間; the reading むげんじごく is common in this spelling.
むげんじごく
Kana spelling reflecting the common むげんじごく reading; often used in explanations or when the kanji are unclear.
Kanji 無 nothingness, none, ain't 限 limit, restrict, to best of ability Similar words 地じ 獄ごく General term for hell or any hell realm in Buddhism; 無間地獄 is a specific, extreme hell within that category.
八はち 大だい 地じ 獄ごく The eight great hells of Buddhist cosmology; 無間地獄 is the eighth and most severe.
Etymology From Buddhist terminology, translating Sanskrit Avīci, meaning 'without waves' or 'uninterrupted'. The kanji 無間 literally means 'no interval', reflecting the continuous nature of suffering in this hell.
