哪吒

Chinese

		phonetic
trad. (哪吒)		哪	吒
simp. #(哪吒)		哪	吒
alternative forms		那吒

Etymology

Clipping of the Medieval variants of the name:

• 那吒俱伐羅 (MC na traeH kju bjot la),
• 那吒矩韈囉 (MC na traeH kjuX mjot la),

Which are transcriptions of a variant of the Indian yaksha's name Nalakuvara, possibly Pali naṭakuvera; compare Sanskrit नलकुबेर (nalakubera).

Nalakuvara was the son of the yaksha king Kubera, which in Chinese is 俱毗羅 (MC kju bjij la).

Proper noun

哪吒

1. (Chinese folk religion) Nezha, a protection deity in Chinese folk religion

Synonyms

• 中壇元帥／中坛元帅 (“Marshal of the Central Altar”)
• 蓮花三太子／莲花三太子 (“Third Lotus Prince”)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (哪吒):

• → Japanese: 哪(な)吒(たく) (nataku)
• → Korean: 나타(哪吒) (nata)
• → Vietnamese: Na Tra (哪吒)