刹那

See also: 剎那

Chinese

For pronunciation and definitions of 刹那 – see 剎那 (“instant; moment; split-second”). (This term is the simplified form of 剎那).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
刹	那
せち Grade: S	な Grade: S
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 剎那 (MC tsrhaet na), a transliteration of Sanskrit क्षण (kṣaṇa).

Originally a Buddhist term meaning the smallest possible moment in time: a split-second. Carries favorable connotations of "precious" from the Buddhist teaching that one should live well even in the shortest moment of time.

This reading is now archaic and is falling into disuse.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [se̞t͡ɕina̠]

Noun

刹(せち)那(な) • (sechina) 

1. see setsuna below

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
刹	那
せつ Grade: S	な Grade: S
on’yomi

/setina/ → /setuna/

Shift in pronunciation from sechina above, using the kan'yōon of setsu for the first kanji.

This reading is now the most common.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) せ​つな [séꜜtsùnà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [se̞t͡sɨᵝna̠]

Noun

刹(せつ)那(な) • (setsuna) 

1. an instant, a moment
2. (Buddhism) the smallest unit of time, of varying lengths depending on tradition:
   1. roughly 0.11 seconds, defined as 1/65^th of a 弾指 (danshi), where a danshi is 1/12,000^th of a day or 7.2 seconds
   2. 0.002 seconds, defined as 1/60^th of a 念 (nen), where a nen is 1/60^th of a 弾指 (danshi)
   3. 1/75^th of a second, defined as 1/6,480,000^th of a day
3. (mathematics) by extension from the instant meaning, an extremely small number: 10^-18, atto-

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 刹那的(せつなてき) (setsunateki): momentary, transient, ephemeral
• 刹那主義(せつなしゅぎ) (setsuna shugi): the principle or philosophy of living in the moment

Proper noun

刹(せつ)那(な) • (Setsuna) 

1. a female given name

Korean

Hanja in this term
刹	那

Noun

刹那 • (challa) (hangeul 찰나)

1. Hanja form^? of 찰나 (“moment; instant”).

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
刹	那

Noun

刹那

1. chữ Hán form of sát na (“split-second”).