盂蘭盆

Chinese

		container; cup	orchid	basin
trad. (盂蘭盆)		盂	蘭	盆
simp. (盂兰盆)		盂	兰	盆

Etymology

Commonly thought to have been derived from Sanskrit उल्लम्बन (ullambana, “hanging upside down”), a word that was sparsely, if at all, attested (Ashikaga, 1951).

Alternatively, Junjirō Takakusu (apud Ashikaga, 1951) propounded that the origin was in fact Pali ullumbana, a colloquial corruption of Pali ullumpana (“raising up; saving; helping”), and that the etymology was mistakenly attributed to Sanskrit.

The second sense is a result of rebracketing of the word as 盂蘭 + 盆 (“basin”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yúlánpén

  (Zhuyin): ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ ㄆㄣˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jyu⁴ laan⁴ pun⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yúlánpén
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ ㄆㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yúlánpén
    • Wade–Giles: yü²-lan²-pʻên²
    • Yale: yú-lán-pén
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yulanpern
    • Palladius: юйланьпэнь (jujlanʹpɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y³⁵ län³⁵ pʰən³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jyu⁴ laan⁴ pun⁴
    • Yale: yùh làahn pùhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁴ laan⁴ pun⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yu⁴ lan⁴ pun⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː²¹ laːn²¹ pʰuːn²¹/

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• Middle Chinese: hju lan bwon

Rime
Character	盂	蘭	盆
Reading #	1/1	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	云 (35)	來 (37)	並 (3)
Final (韻)	虞 (24)	寒 (61)	魂 (55)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Open	Closed
Division (等)	III	I	I
Fanqie	羽俱切	落干切	蒲奔切
Baxter	hju	lan	bwon
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦɨo/	/lɑn/	/buən/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦio/	/lɑn/	/buon/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣio/	/lɑn/	/buən/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuə̆/	/lan/	/bwən/
Li Rong	/ɣio/	/lɑn/	/buən/
Wang Li	/ɣĭu/	/lɑn/	/buən/
Bernard Karlgren	/i̯u/	/lɑn/	/bʱuən/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yú	lán	pén
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jyu4	laan4	pun4

Noun

(deprecated template usage) 盂蘭盆

1. (Buddhism) helping hungry ghosts who are suffering by offering them food
2. basin for holding offerings to the deceased

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Japanese

Kanji in this term
盂	蘭	盆
う Hyōgai	らん > ら Jinmeiyō	ぼん Grade: S
irregular

Noun

盂(う)蘭(ら)盆(ぼん) • (urabon) 

1. A Buddhist observance honoring the spirits of ancestors.