观音 (Guān yīn) — Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion (Avalokiteśvara)

Definition

Guanyin is the bodhisattva of compassion in Chinese Buddhism, a female figure widely worshipped for mercy and protection. People pray to her in temples for safety, health, and relief from suffering.

noun
Guanyinthe bodhisattva of compassion (Avalokiteśvara)

Examples

  • 观音，。
    Hěn duō rén qù sì miào bài Guān yīn, qí qiú píng ān.
    Many people go to temples to worship Guanyin and pray for peace.
  • 观音。
    Zhè fú Guān yīn huà xiàng yǐ jīng yǒu sān bǎi nián de lì shǐ le.
    This painting of Guanyin is already three hundred years old.
  • 观音。
    Chuán shuō zhōng Guān yīn yǒu sān shí sān zhǒng huà shēn.
    According to legend, Guanyin has thirty-three manifestations.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

观guānobserve
音yīnsound

“观” is observe and “音” is sound, the name of the bodhisattva who hears sounds.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn觀guān
Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Open 观 →

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

音 adds a short stroke that seals the mouth-like part, showing a covered or muffled sound rather than speech.

Open 音 →

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