Zen

See also: zen, zeń, zèn, zěn, zen-, žen, and źeń

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Japanese 禅 (ぜん) (zen), from Middle Chinese 禪 (MC d͡ʑiᴇn), an abbreviation of 禪那 (MC d͡ʑiᴇn nɑ), from Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna, “a type of meditation”). Akin to dhyana.

Pronunciation
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

Zen (uncountable)

  1. (religion) A denomination of Buddhism elaborated in Japan.
  2. (religion) Profound meditation within that denomination of Buddhism.
  3. (informal) A philosophy of calm, reminiscent of that of the Buddhist denomination.

Usage notes

Usually capitalized in all senses, almost always when talking about the denomination proper (compare Catholicism), usually but less often when referring to a looser sense of the philosophy or calm: “That’s very zen.” versus “She studies Zen Buddhism.”

Translations

Adjective

Zen (comparative more Zen, superlative most Zen)

  1. (colloquial) Extremely relaxed and collected.

Anagrams

German

Noun

Zen m

  1. (Buddhism) zen (denomination of Buddhism)

Further reading
  • Zen in Duden online

Irish

Proper noun

Zen m

  1. (Buddhism) Zen

Japanese

Romanization

Zen

  1. Rōmaji transcription of ぜん
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