南無

Chinese

		phonetic
trad. (南無)		南	無
simp. (南无)		南	无
alternative forms		南摸 南謨／南谟 曩謨／曩谟 南膜 南摩 南摸 南謨／南谟 曩謨／曩谟 南膜 南摩 納慕／纳慕 那謨／那谟 那模 娜母

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नमस् (namas, literally “a bow”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): nāmó, námó

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄚ ㄇㄛˊ, ㄋㄚˊ ㄇㄛˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): naa¹ mou⁴ / naa¹ mo⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: nāmó
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄚ ㄇㄛˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: namó
    • Wade–Giles: na¹-mo²
    • Yale: nā-mwó
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: nhamo
    • Palladius: намо (namo)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nä⁵⁵ mu̯ɔ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: námó
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄚˊ ㄇㄛˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: námó
    • Wade–Giles: na²-mo²
    • Yale: ná-mwó
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: namo
    • Palladius: намо (namo)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nä³⁵ mu̯ɔ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: naa¹ mou⁴ / naa¹ mo⁴
    • Yale: nā mòuh / nā mòh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: naa¹ mou⁴ / naa¹ mo⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: na¹ mou⁴ / na¹ mo⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /naː⁵⁵ mou̯²¹/, /naː⁵⁵ mɔː²¹/

Verb

南無

1. (Buddhism) Used in Buddhist salutations or expressions of faith: to salute; to convert to.

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Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
南	無
な Grade: 2	む Grade: 4
on'yomi

Transliteration of Sanskrit नमस् (námas, literally “a bow”), possibly via Middle Chinese 南無 (MC nom mju).

Compare Mandarin 南無／南无 (námó).

Phrase

南(な)無(む) • (namu) 

1. (Buddhism) Used in Buddhist salutations or expressions of faith

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 南無(なむ)阿弥陀(あみだ) (Namu Amida)
• 南無(なむ)阿弥陀(あみだ)仏(ぶつ) (Namu Amida-butsu)
• 南無阿弥(なむおみ)豆腐(どうふ) (namuomi-dōfu)
• 南無(なむ)帰命(きみょう) (namu kimyō)
• 南無(なむ)三(さん) (namu san)
• 南無(なむ)三宝(さんぼう) (Namu Sanbō)
• 南無(なむ)当来(とうらい)導師(どうし) (Namu Tōrai Dōshi)
• 南無(なむ)妙法(みょうほう)蓮華(れんげ)経(きょう) (Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
南	無
な Grade: 2	も Grade: 4
on'yomi

Likely a borrowing from Mandarin 南無／南无 (námó), utilizing the 唐音 (Tō-on, “Tang sound”) reading of 無 (mo).

Alternative forms

• 南謨

Phrase

南(な)無(も) • (namo) 

1. (Buddhism) Used in Buddhist salutations or expressions of faith

See also

• 帰(き)命(みょう) (kimyō)