梵文 (Fàn wén) — Sanskrit (the classical language of ancient India)

Definition

梵文 (Fànwén) is the proper name for 'Sanskrit,' the classical language of ancient India, especially linked to Buddhist scriptures. Not a generic term — always refers to this one language.

noun
Sanskrit (the classical language of ancient India)

Examples

  • 梵文。
    Wǒ xué xí Fàn wén yǐ jīng sān nián le.
    I have been studying Sanskrit for three years.
  • 梵文。
    Tā zhèng zài bǎ Fàn wén fó jīng fān yì chéng zhōng wén.
    He is translating Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures into Chinese.
  • 梵文。
    Zhè piān Fàn wén wén xiàn jì zǎi le gǔ dài yìn dù de lì shǐ.
    This Sanskrit document records the history of ancient India.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

梵fànSanskrit or Buddhist
文wénwriting or language

梵 refers to Sanskrit or Buddhist and 文 means writing, so it is Sanskrit.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
林林línforest
Sound part声符shēngfú
凡
凡fán梵fàn
Same sound today

梵 is built from 林, a forest, and 凡, which gives the sound; the forest part shows the early meaning 'lush.'

Open 梵 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The current form 文 shows a man with head, arms, legs, and chest; the tattoo marks on the chest are no longer drawn.

Open 文 →

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