nio

plural nios

1. Alternative letter-case form of Nio.

1. abbreviationinitialismuncountableJava programming languageInitialism of New I/O (“new (or nonblocking) input/output”).

1. UKabbreviationinitialismgovernmentInitialism of Northern Ireland Office.

   Stormont officials spelled out linguistic pitfalls that could offend nationalists and unionists in a 164-page guidance document for Mandelson and other new NIO ministers.

   2023 August 23, Rory Carroll, “Files reveal terms ministers were warned not to use in Northern Ireland”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

alternative nio

1. especially Japanese contextsBuddhismA pair of door gods at the main gates of Buddhist temples.

   2 more examples

   Two Deva Kings (Nio) stand guard, as do two koma-inu (Korean lion-dogs), to protect the temple from the entry of evil forces... The 12 foot (3.6 m) tall Nio on the right has his mouth open to pronounce the Sanskrit "A" while the one on the left has his lips closed so as to pronounce the "Om" sound, these two sounds being the alpha and omega of Buddhist lore, symbolizing the all inclusiveness of Buddhist teachings.

   2014, John H. Martin et al., Kyoto: 29 Walks in Japan's Ancient Capital, page 43

   The guardian at the right, with mouth open, represents birth; the guardian on the left, with mouth closed, represents death. The space between them represents the Absolute, or all that is contained between birth and death. At Iwamadera, the Nio, a distinctive ebony and shiny as lacquer, enhanced their ferocious, don't-mess-with-me muscular stance.

   2018, Joan D. Stamm, A Pilgrimage in Japan, page 114

   Synonyms: Vajrapani, Renwang