禅
禅·Zen
- On-yomi
- ゼン
- Kun-yomi
- none
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 禅 | ぜん | Zen |
| 座禅 | ざぜん | zazen, seated meditation |
| 禅寺 | ぜんでら | Zen temple |
| 禅宗 | ぜんしゅう | the Zen sect |
Example sentences
寺で座禅を組んだ。
てらでざぜんをくんだ。
I sat in zazen meditation at the temple.
京都には有名な禅寺が多い。
きょうとにはゆうめいなぜんでらがおおい。
Kyoto has many famous Zen temples.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 座禅 is read ざぜん, not ざせん.
- 禅寺 voices to ぜんでら, not ぜんてら.
Memory aid
Picture it
The altar radical 礻 beside 単 (single) — worship stripped down to a single point of focus.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 禅 mean?