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What is the Kanji for 'Zen'? | 禅

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for 'Zen', you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for 'Zen' is 禅.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Zen

    Reading

    onyomiぜん

    zen

    Parts

    Cult (示)Simple, Single

    Example Word

    禅: Zen. The Japanese noun '禅 (ぜん)' refers to 'Zen', a school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes meditation and intuition. Zen is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and is often associated with simplicity, mindfulness, and the pursuit of enlightenment. It has influenced various aspects of Japanese life, including art, tea ceremonies, and martial arts. Example sentences: He practices Zen meditation「彼は禅の瞑想をします」(かれはぜんのめいそうをします). Zen teaches the importance of being present「禅は今を大切にすることを教えます」(ぜんはいまをたいせつにすることをおしえます).

    Radical

    Stroke Count

    13

    JLPT

    N1

    Grade

    9

    Frequency

    1634

    Handwriting

Parts of the Kanji

If you visually break down this kanji, you can see it is made up of 2 parts:

    radical

    Meaning

    Cult

    Radical Form Of

    kanji

    Meaning

    Simple, Single

Words Using

This kanji is used in 1 word:

    word

    Meaning

    Zen

Kanji Related to Through the Part

These 11 kanji contain the part 礻 as well.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Company

    kanji

    Meaning

    God

    kanji

    Meaning

    Blessing

    kanji

    Meaning

    Blessedness, Welfare

    kanji

    Meaning

    Bow, Salute

    kanji

    Meaning

    See, Look

    kanji

    Meaning

    Pray

    kanji

    Meaning

    Ancestor

    kanji

    Meaning

    Celebrate

    kanji

    Meaning

    Calamity

    kanji

    Meaning

    Auspicious

Kanji Related to Through the Part

These 2 kanji contain the part 単 as well.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Fight, War

    kanji

    Meaning

    Bullet, Projectile

Learn the Kanji

Let's make sure you fully understand this kanji.

What does 禅 mean?

禅 means 'Zen'.

Japanese school students learn this kanji in Senior Highschool, while non-native learners often study it for the JLPT N1 exam.

To help you master this kanji, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.