仏

• Reading: ほとけ
• Romaji: hotoke
• Kanji breakdown: 仏 (butsu/futsu/hotoke) — Buddha, France (abbreviation)
• Pronunciation: /ho.to.ke/

Meaning

Buddha; an enlightened being in Buddhism. Also refers to a deceased person.

A noun with multiple readings depending on context. As ほとけ (hotoke), it means Buddha or a deceased person. In compounds, read ぶつ (butsu): 仏教 (bukkyō, Buddhism), 仏像 (butsuzō, statue of Buddha). Also read ふつ (futsu) as an abbreviation for France: 仏語 (futsugo, French). The proverb 仏の顔も三度 (hotoke no kao mo sando) means even Buddha loses patience after three times.

Examples

1. お寺で大きな仏の像を見た。 I saw a large statue of Buddha at the temple.
2. 祖母は毎朝仏に手を合わせている。 My grandmother puts her hands together in prayer to Buddha every morning.
3. 仏の教えは多くの人の心を救ってきた。 The teachings of Buddha have saved the hearts of many people.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, temples, funerals

Tone: reverent

Origin & History

From Sanskrit 'Buddha' (the awakened one), transmitted via Chinese 佛陀. The simplified character 仏 replaced the traditional 佛 in modern Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal