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因缘 (yīn yuán) — (Buddhism) primary cause and secondary conditions; the causal chain that produces all phenomena; predestined relationship; karmic bond (between people); chance; opportunity

Definition

In Buddhism, 因缘 joins 因 (direct cause) and 缘 (conditions) to name the full causal chain behind any event. Colloquially it softens to mean a 'fated opportunity' or karmic bond between people.

noun
(Buddhism) primary cause and secondary conditionsthe causal chain that produces all phenomenapredestined relationshipkarmic bond (between people)chanceopportunity

Examples

  • ，因缘。
    Tā men néng xiāng yù, shì qián shì xiū lái de yīn yuán.
    Their meeting is a karmic bond cultivated in a past life.
  • 因缘。
    Fó jiào rèn wéi yí qiè shì wù dōu yóu yīn yuán hé hé ér shēng.
    Buddhism holds that all things arise from the combination of causes and conditions.
  • 因缘，。
    Zhè cì hé zuò shì yí gè nán dé de yīn yuán, wǒ men yào zhēn xī.
    This collaboration is a rare opportunity; we should cherish it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

因yīncause
缘yuáncondition

因 is cause and 缘 is condition or fate, so together they express chance or a karmic bond.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 囗囗wéisheet
  • 大大dàperson

Originally, 因 showed 大 (a person) on 囗 (a sheet or mattress).

Open 因 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緣; 缘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彖
彖tuàn緣⁰yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緣 puts 糸 (silk) beside 彖, which gives the sound; the simplified 缘 is a later abbreviation.

Open 缘 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsReligion & Belief

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