zen

See also: Zen, zeń, zèn, zěn, zen-, źeń, and Ζήν

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Japanese 禅 (ぜん) (zen), from Middle Chinese 禪 (MC d͡ʑiᴇn) (compare Mandarin 禅 (Chán), an abbreviation of 禪那 (MC d͡ʑiᴇn nɑ), from Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna, “a type of meditation”). Akin to dhyana.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛn

Noun

zen (uncountable)

  1. (religion) A denomination of Buddhism
  2. (religion) Profound meditation within that denomination of Buddhism
  3. An approach to an activity, skill, or subject that emphasizes simplicity and intuition rather than conventional thinking or fixation on goals
    the zen of cooking; the zen of passing the bar exam; the zen of C++

Usage notes

Often capitalized, similar to a proper noun, when talking about the denomination proper (compare Catholicism), rather than the philosophy or calm: “That’s very zen.” versus “She studies Zen Buddhism.”

Synonyms

  • (approach emphasizing simplicity etc): tao

Adjective

zen (comparative more zen, superlative most zen)

  1. (religion) Pertaining to this denomination of Buddhism
  2. (colloquial) enlightened, unburdened and free of worries; chill, extremely relaxed and collected

Translations

References

  • zen at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

Aynu

Etymology

Related to Persian زن‎ (zan).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /zɛn/

Noun

zen

  1. woman

References

  • Otto Ladstätter, Andreas Tietze, Die Abdal (Äynu) in Xinjiang (1994)

Finnish

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -en

Noun

zen

  1. zen

Declension

Inflection of zen (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative zen zenit
genitive zenin zenien
partitive zeniä zenejä
illative zeniin zeneihin
singular plural
nominative zen zenit
accusative nom. zen zenit
gen. zenin
genitive zenin zenien
partitive zeniä zenejä
inessive zenissä zeneissä
elative zenistä zeneistä
illative zeniin zeneihin
adessive zenillä zeneillä
ablative zeniltä zeneiltä
allative zenille zeneille
essive zeninä zeneinä
translative zeniksi zeneiksi
instructive — zenein
abessive zenittä zeneittä
comitative — zeneineen

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /zɛn/

Noun

zen m (plural zen)

  1. zen

Adjective

zen (invariable)

  1. pertaining to zen.
  2. (colloquial) extremely relaxed and collected.

Further reading

Anagrams

Japanese

Romanization

zen

  1. Rōmaji transcription of ぜん

Mandarin

Romanization

zen

  1. Nonstandard spelling of zěn.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of zèn.

Usage notes

  • English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

Portuguese

Noun

zen m (uncountable)

  1. (religion) Zen (denomination of Buddhism)
  2. (informal) Zen (philosophy)

Adjective

zen (plural zen, comparable)

  1. (religion) zen (pertaining to the Zen denomination of Buddhism)
  2. (informal) zen (extremely relaxing)

Volapük

Etymology

Borrowed from German Zinder, French cendre and English cinder.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /t͡sen/

Noun

zen (plural zens)

  1. ash, cinder
    • 1952, Epistle to the Hebrews, 9.13,14, translated by Arie de Jong.
      If ya blud toras e hikaparas, e zen kunüla, kel pagifülon ad klinükön koapi, saludükon profenanis,
      vio mödikumo blud Kristusa, kel ededietom oki dub Lanal laidüpik nenmiotädiko Gode, oklinükon konsieni obsik de vobots deadik, ad kultön Godi liföl.
      If the blood of bulls and billies, and the ashes of heifers, which is sprinkled to clean the body, already sanctifies profane people,
      how much more will the blood of Christ, who gave himself unblemished to God because of the eternal Spirit, clean our conscience from dead deeds to worship the living God.

Declension

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