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沙门 (shā mén) — Buddhist monk (ascetic who renounces worldly life); Buddhist monastic order (sangha)

Definition

沙门 (shāmén) is the Sanskrit-derived term for a Buddhist monk — the individual renunciate, not the whole community. The collective order is the 僧伽 (sēngqié / sangha); use 沙门 when you mean the person.

noun
Buddhist monk (ascetic who renounces worldly life)Buddhist monastic order (sangha)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 沙门。
    Hěn duō shā mén měi tiān dōu yào niàn jīng dǎ zuò.
    Many monks chant sutras and meditate every day.
  • 沙门。
    Zhè zuò sì miào lǐ zhù zhe jǐ shí wèi shā mén.
    This temple houses dozens of monks.
  • 沙门。
    Tā chū jiā chéng le yì míng shā mén.
    He left home to become a monk.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

沙 puts 少 (dots) beside 水 (water), showing sand on a shoreline.

Open 沙 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 is a later shorthand.

Open 门 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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