Etymology

zen

Z10E1N1

Today it means: Of or related to Zen Buddhism. Full definition →

Japanese 禅 (ぜん) ← Chinese 禪那 /禅那 ← Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna)
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zen · noun, adjective1

From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Zen · proper noun, noun, adjective2

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeyh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰyeh₂-
  3. Sanskritध्यान (dhyāna)
  4. Chinese禪那 /禅那
  5. Japanese禅那clip.
  6. Japanese禅 (ぜん)
  7. English todayZen

From Japanese 禅(ぜん) (zen), from Middle Chinese 禪 (MC dzyen), an abbreviation of 禪那 (MC dzyen na), from Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna, “a type of meditation”). Doublet of dhyana, jhana, Chan, and Sen.

Words from the same roots

Sanskritध्यान all →

chandhyana

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.