仏
Butsu[ho̞to̞ke̞]
In Japanese, the English word 'buddha' can be translated as 仏 (Butsu) or 仏陀.
Meaning: enlightened human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 仏 | Butsu | [ho̞to̞ke̞] (narrow) [bɯ̟t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 仏陀 | Budda, Butsuda | [bɯ̟t͡sɨda̠] (narrow) [bɯ̟d̚d̥a̠] (narrow) |
The term refers to an enlightened human. While it can mean an enlightened being in a general sense, 仏 can also be used in a broad sense to refer to a Buddhist statue. When you wish to refer specifically to a spiritual and philosophical teacher, you may use either 仏陀 or 仏.
Which one should you use?
仏陀 (Budda, Butsuda) is used specifically to refer to the historical figure of the Buddha. In contrast, 仏 (Butsu) is a more general term used for any enlightened being or Buddhist deity.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
Butsu
Did you know?
- The word 仏 is used in an unexpected way as an abbreviation for 'France', spelled as 仏蘭西 (Furansu).
- In common Japanese usage, the word 仏 is frequently used to describe a deceased person who has passed away.
Examples in context
- もう神も仏もない。Now there is neither God nor Buddha.This sentence shows how to express the absence of both God and the 仏.Tatoeba #194047 by small_snow, translation #31216 by LiborSupcik
- 彼は木から仏像を彫った。He carved a Buddha statue from wood.This sentence demonstrates how to use the term 仏 when discussing a statue.Tatoeba #100225 by Blanka_Meduzo, translation #1415006 by BooMie
- 倒れていた老人は、実は仏様だったのです。The old man who'd fallen was really Buddha.This sentence shows the use of the respectful 仏 to describe a person.Tatoeba #408082 by xtofu80, translation #534203 by blay_paul
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a Buddhist concept in a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui仏とは一体何のこと？Hotoke to wa ittai nan no koto?What exactly is a buddha?
- 大翔 Hiroto悟りを開いた人のことだよ。Satori o hiraita hito no koto da yo.It refers to an enlightened person.
- 結衣 Yui大翔はすごく詳しいね。Hiroto wa sugoku kuwashii ne.You are very knowledgeable, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto本で少し読んだだけだよ。Hon de sukoshi yonda dake da yo.I just read a little in a book.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “buddha” translations and entries 仏, 仏陀, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 仏, 仏陀, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
