佛

• Pinyin: fó
• Hanzi breakdown: 佛 = 亻(person) + 弗 (phonetic, originally meant 'not') — transliteration of Sanskrit Buddha

Meaning

Buddha; Buddhist deity. The enlightened one, specifically Siddhartha Gautama, or any enlightened being in Buddhism.

Central to Buddhist terminology in Chinese. Common compounds: 佛像 (Buddha statue), 佛经 (Buddhist scriptures), 佛寺/佛庙 (Buddhist temple), 成佛 (to become a Buddha). The casual phrase 佛系 (Buddha-like, laid-back attitude) became popular internet slang around 2017 to describe a detached, go-with-the-flow lifestyle.

Examples

1. 这座寺庙里供奉着一尊千年古佛，每天都有信众前来参拜。 This temple enshrines an ancient Buddha statue from a thousand years ago, and devotees come to worship every day.
2. 他最近变得很佛系，什么事都不争不抢。 He's become very Buddha-like lately, not competing for anything.
3. 奶奶信佛多年，每天早上都会念经祈福。 Grandma has believed in Buddhism for many years and recites sutras every morning to pray for blessings.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, culture, internet slang

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 他是虔诚的佛教徒，每天都拜佛。(He is a devout Buddhist and prays to Buddha every day.)
• 佛系青年不太在乎输赢。(Buddha-like young people don't care much about winning or losing.)

Don't Say

• 在严肃宗教场合用佛系的玩笑说法 (Don't use the jokey 佛系 slang in serious religious contexts — it could be seen as disrespectful)

Origin & History

Transliteration from Sanskrit 'Buddha' (meaning 'awakened one'). The character 佛 was created specifically to transcribe this foreign word, using 人 (person) as semantic component and 弗 as phonetic.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal