佛

See also: 仏 and 彿

佛	U+4F5B, 佛 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4F5B

← 佚
[U+4F5A]

CJK Unified Ideographs

作 →
[U+4F5C]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

佛 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+5, 7 strokes, cangjie input 人中中弓 (OLLN), four-corner 2522₇, composition ⿰亻弗)

Derived characters

𠲽, 梻, 𩎵, 𡌅

References

KangXi: page 99, character 4
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 517
Dae Jaweon: page 208, character 11
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 140, character 3
Unihan data for U+4F5B

Chinese

simp. and trad.		佛
alternative forms		仏㚕仸𠑵𠇛仏㚕仸𠑵𠇛𡗻𡘉𦤲

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 佛

Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)

Liushutong (compiled in Ming)

Small seal script

Transcribed ancient scripts

**Small seal script**
s05732

**Transcribed ancient scripts**
L26012	L26013

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (弗) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
鄪	*prɯds
費	prɯds, pʰɯds, *bɯds
砩	*pads
沸	*pɯds
疿	*pɯds
茀	pɯds, pʰɯd
髴	pʰɯds, pɯd, *pʰɯd
昲	*pʰɯds
靅	*pʰɯds
狒	*buds
怫	bɯds, bɯd
胇	*brɯd
艴	bɯːd, pʰɯd
弗	*pɯd
紼	*pɯd
柫	*pɯd
笰	*pɯd
拂	*pʰɯd
刜	pʰɯd, bɯd
彿	*pʰɯd
佛	*bɯd
坲	*bɯd
咈	*bɯd
炥	*bɯd

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *bɯd) : semantic 亻 + phonetic 弗 (OC *pɯd).

Etymology 1

Ji (1998v7) considers it likely borrowed from Iranian (compare Sogdian 𐼾𐼴𐽂𐼷‎ (pwty), 𐫁𐫇𐫤𐫏‎ (bwty /Pute, Bute, βute/), Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (bwt'), 𐫁𐫇𐫤‎ (bwt /But/), Parthian 𐫁𐫇𐫎‎ (bwṯ /But, Butt/)), ultimately from Sanskrit बुद्ध (buddha, “awakened, enlightened”, past passive participle), whence also 佛陀 (MC bɨut̚ dɑ), but the Chinese morpheme 佛 is not a direct contraction or clipping of the latter.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): fó (fo²)
(Zhuyin): ㄈㄛˊ
(Chengdu, SP): fu²
(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): фә (fə, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): fat⁶
(Taishan, Wiktionary): fut⁵
Gan (Wiktionary): fiit⁷ / fiit⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): fu̍t
(Meixian, Guangdong): fud⁶
Jin (Wiktionary): feh⁵
Min Bei (KCR): hō
Min Dong (BUC): hŭk
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): pu̍t / hu̍t
(Teochew, Peng'im): hug⁸
Wu (Wiktionary): veq (T5)
Xiang (Wiktionary): fu⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: fó
  - Zhuyin: ㄈㄛˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: fó
  - Wade–Giles: fo²
  - Yale: fwó
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: for
  - Palladius: фо (fo)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fwɔ³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: fu²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: fu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fu²¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: фә (fə, I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fə²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: fat⁶
  - Yale: faht
  - Cantonese Pinyin: fat⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: fed⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fɐt̚²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: fut⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fut̚³²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: fiit⁷ / fiit⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fɨt̚²/, /fɨt̚⁵/

Note: fiit6 - used in some compounds, e.g. 佛手, 佛七.

Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fu̍t
  - Hakka Romanization System: fud
  - Hagfa Pinyim: fud⁶
  - Sinological IPA: /fut̚⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: fud⁶
  - Sinological IPA: /fut̚⁵/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: feh⁵
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /fəʔ⁵⁴/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: hō
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /xo⁵⁵/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: hŭk
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /huʔ⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pu̍t
  - Tâi-lô: pu̍t
  - Phofsit Daibuun: put
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /put̚²⁴/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /put̚⁴/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hu̍t
  - Tâi-lô: hu̍t
  - Phofsit Daibuun: hut
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /hut̚²⁴/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /hut̚⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /hut̚¹²¹/

Note:

Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taiwan:
- pu̍t - vernacular;
- hu̍t - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: hug⁸
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hu̍k
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /huk̚⁴/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: veq (T5)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /v̥əʔ¹²/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: fu⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɸu²⁴/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 佛
Mandarin	Beijing	/fo³⁵/
	Harbin	/fɤ²⁴/
	Tianjin	/fo⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/fə⁴²/
	Qingdao	/fu⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/fu⁴²/
	Xi'an	/fo²⁴/
	Xining	/fɔ²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/fu¹³/ /fuə⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/fə⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/fɤ⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/fu²¹³/
	Chengdu	/fu³¹/ /fəu³¹/
	Guiyang	/fu²¹/
	Kunming	/fu³¹/
	Nanjing	/fuʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/fəʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/fəʔ⁵⁴/
	Pingyao	/xuʌʔ⁵³/
	Hohhot	/fɤ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/vəʔ¹/
	Suzhou	/vəʔ³/
	Hangzhou	/vəʔ²/
	Wenzhou	/vai²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/fu²²/
Hui	Tunxi	/fə¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/fu²⁴/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/ɸu⁵⁵/
Gan	Nanchang	/fɨʔ²/
Hakka	Meixian	/fut̚⁵/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/fut̚⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/fɐt̚²/
	Nanning	/fɐt̚²²/
	Hong Kong	/fɐt̚²/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/hut̚⁵/ /put̚⁵/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/huʔ⁵/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/xo⁴⁴/ /xu²⁴/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/huk̚⁵/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/ʔbut̚³/

Middle Chinese: /bɨut̚/

Rime
Character	佛
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	並 (3)
Final (韻)	文 (60)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	符弗切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/bɨut̚/
Pan Wuyun	/biut̚/
Shao Rongfen	/biuət̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/but̚/
Li Rong	/biuət̚/
Wang Li	/bĭuət̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/bʱi̯uət̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	fú
Expected Cantonese Reflex	fat⁶

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[b][u]t/
(Zhengzhang): /*bɯd/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	佛
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	fú
Middle Chinese	‹ bjut ›
Old Chinese	/*[b][u]t/
English	great
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	佛
Reading #	1/1
No.	3324
Phonetic component	弗
Rime group	物
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	佛
Old Chinese	/*bɯd/

Definitions

佛

(Buddhism) Buddha
佛陀 ― fótuó ― Buddha
佛教 ― fójiào ― Buddhism
(Buddhism) statue of Buddha
(by extension) Buddhist scriptures
(by extension) Buddhism; Buddhist doctrines

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (佛):

→ Japanese: 仏(ふつ) (futsu); 仏(ぶつ) (butsu)
→ Korean: 불(佛) (bul)
→ Vietnamese: Phật (佛), Bụt (佛)

Others:

→ Chadong: fut⁸
⇒ Mongolian: ᠪᠤᠷᠬᠠᠨ (burqan) / бурхан (burxan)
→ Vietnamese: Bụt (“a wise and kind old man in folklore”)
→ Zhuang: baed

Compounds

Derived terms from 佛

一佛出世
一佛出世，二佛涅槃 (yīfóchūshì, èrfónièpán)
七佛
三世佛
三因佛性
丹佛 (Dānfó)
主佛
五方佛 (Wǔfāngfó)
佛七
佛事
佛位
佛像 (fóxiàng)
佛光 (fóguāng)
佛具 (fójù)
佛典 (fódiǎn)
佛卡夏 (fókǎxià)
佛印
佛口蛇心 (fókǒushéxīn)
佛因
佛地
佛堂 (fótáng)
佛境 (fójìng)
佛子
佛家 (fójiā)
佛寺 (fósì)
佛山 (Fóshān)
佛心宗
佛性 (fóxìng)
佛成道日
佛戾
佛手 (fóshǒu)
佛手柑 (fóshǒugān)
佛手瓜 (fóshǒuguā)
佛指甲
佛教 (Fójiào)
佛日
佛曲
佛果 (fóguǒ)
佛桑
佛法 (fófǎ)
佛海
佛牙 (fóyá)
佛珠 (fózhū)
佛生日
佛眼
佛眼相看
佛祖 (fózǔ)
佛粥
佛老
佛舍利
佛蒙特州
佛道 (fódào)

佛都有火
佛陀 (Fótuó)
佛青
作佛事
佞佛
供佛 (gòngfó)
北方佛教
千佛塔
千佛山
千佛洞
即心即佛
即身成佛
原始佛教
哈佛 (Hāfó)
大乘佛教 (Dàchéng Fójiào)
大佛 (dàfó)
孔佛
念佛 (niànfó)
念佛三昧
念米佛
成佛 (chéngfó)
拜佛 (bàifó)
毗舍婆佛
求神拜佛 (qiúshénbàifó)
泥多佛大
活佛 (huófó)
浴佛 (yùfó)
番佛
立地成佛
蛇心佛口
西藏佛教
西西佛斯
部派佛教
一佛出世，二佛升天
毗婆尸佛
辟支佛 (bìzhīfó)
三階佛法／三阶佛法
五會念佛／五会念佛
伊闕佛龕／伊阙佛龛
佛來明哥／佛来明哥
佛前佛後／佛前佛后
佛剎／佛刹
佛國／佛国
佛國記／佛国记
佛圖／佛图
佛圖戶／佛图户
佛圖澄／佛图澄
佛場／佛场
佛天三寶／佛天三宝
佛妝／佛妆
佛學／佛学 (fóxué)
佛教音樂／佛教音乐

佛書／佛书
佛會／佛会
佛燈／佛灯
佛爺／佛爷 (fóyé)
佛眼兒／佛眼儿
佛科擺／佛科摆
佛經／佛经 (fójīng)
佛羅里達／佛罗里达 (Fóluólǐdá)
佛號／佛号 (fóhào)
佛誕日／佛诞日 (Fódànrì)
佛誕節／佛诞节
佛跳牆／佛跳墙 (fótiàoqiáng)
佛郎機／佛郎机 (fólángjī)
佛門／佛门 (fómén)
佛門弟子／佛门弟子
佛頭著糞／佛头著粪
佛馱／佛驮
佛體／佛体 (fútǐ)
佛龕／佛龛 (fókān)
借花獻佛／借花献佛 (jièhuāxiànfó)
南無佛／南无佛
吃齋唸佛／吃斋念佛
呵佛罵祖／呵佛骂祖
哈佛大學／哈佛大学
寶生佛／宝生佛
念豆兒佛／念豆儿佛
抱佛腳／抱佛脚 (bào fójiǎo)
揀佛燒香／拣佛烧香
歡喜佛／欢喜佛 (huānxǐfó)
浴佛節／浴佛节
濟公活佛／济公活佛
無量壽佛／无量寿佛
生佛萬家／生佛万家
白豆兒佛／白豆儿佛
稱名念佛／称名念佛
綸音佛語／纶音佛语
繡佛／绣佛
老佛爺／老佛爷 (lǎofóyé)
萬家生佛／万家生佛
著糞佛頭／著粪佛头
藥師佛／药师佛 (Yàoshīfó)
見在佛／见在佛
見性成佛／见性成佛
觀想念佛／观想念佛
觀音佛祖／观音佛祖
訶佛罵祖／诃佛骂祖
選佛場／选佛场
錠光佛／锭光佛
長齋繡佛／长斋绣佛
闢佛／辟佛
阿彌陀佛／阿弥陀佛 (Ēmítuófó)

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 佛 – see 彿 (“resembling, like, as if”). (This character, 佛, is the simplified and variant traditional form of 彿.)
Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): fú, fó
(Zhuyin): ㄈㄨˊ, ㄈㄛˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): fat¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: fú
  - Zhuyin: ㄈㄨˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: fú
  - Wade–Giles: fu²
  - Yale: fú
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: fwu
  - Palladius: фу (fu)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fu³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: fó
  - Zhuyin: ㄈㄛˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: fó
  - Wade–Giles: fo²
  - Yale: fwó
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: for
  - Palladius: фо (fo)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fwɔ³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: fat¹
  - Yale: fāt
  - Cantonese Pinyin: fat⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: fed¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fɐt̚⁵/

Definitions

佛

^† Alternative form of 拂 (fú, “to go against; to be contrary to”).

Compounds

Derived terms from 佛

佛戾

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bì (bi⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄅㄧˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): bat⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bì
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bì
  - Wade–Giles: pi⁴
  - Yale: bì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bih
  - Palladius: би (bi)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: bat⁶
  - Yale: baht
  - Cantonese Pinyin: bat⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: bed⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɐt̚²/

Definitions

佛

^† Alternative form of 弼 (bì, “to assist”).
- 佛時仔肩，示我顯德行。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  佛时仔肩，示我显德行。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Bì shí zǐjiān, shì wǒ xiǎn déxíng. [Pinyin]
  Assist me to bear the burden [of my position],
  And show me how to display a virtuous conduct.
a surname
- 佛肸以中牟畔。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
  From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Bì Xī yǐ Zhōngmù pàn. [Pinyin]
  Bi Xi is in rebellion, holding possession of Zhongmu.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bó (bo²)
(Zhuyin): ㄅㄛˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): but⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bó
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄛˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bó
  - Wade–Giles: po²
  - Yale: bwó
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bor
  - Palladius: бо (bo)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pwɔ³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: but⁶
  - Yale: buht
  - Cantonese Pinyin: but⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: bud⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /puːt̚²/

Definitions

佛

^† Alternative form of 勃 (bó, “prosperous, thriving”).

References

“佛”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Etymology 6

Dialectal pronunciation of 服 (fú). Popularized by the streamer Sun Xiaochuan.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): fó (fo²)
(Zhuyin): ㄈㄛˊ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: fó
  - Zhuyin: ㄈㄛˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: fó
  - Wade–Giles: fo²
  - Yale: fwó
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: for
  - Palladius: фо (fo)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /fwɔ³⁵/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 佛
Mandarin	Beijing	/fo³⁵/
	Harbin	/fɤ²⁴/
	Tianjin	/fo⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/fə⁴²/
	Qingdao	/fu⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/fu⁴²/
	Xi'an	/fo²⁴/
	Xining	/fɔ²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/fu¹³/ /fuə⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/fə⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/fɤ⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/fu²¹³/
	Chengdu	/fu³¹/ /fəu³¹/
	Guiyang	/fu²¹/
	Kunming	/fu³¹/
	Nanjing	/fuʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/fəʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/fəʔ⁵⁴/
	Pingyao	/xuʌʔ⁵³/
	Hohhot	/fɤ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/vəʔ¹/
	Suzhou	/vəʔ³/
	Hangzhou	/vəʔ²/
	Wenzhou	/vai²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/fu²²/
Hui	Tunxi	/fə¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/fu²⁴/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/ɸu⁵⁵/
Gan	Nanchang	/fɨʔ²/
Hakka	Meixian	/fut̚⁵/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/fut̚⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/fɐt̚²/
	Nanning	/fɐt̚²²/
	Hong Kong	/fɐt̚²/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/hut̚⁵/ /put̚⁵/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/huʔ⁵/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/xo⁴⁴/ /xu²⁴/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/huk̚⁵/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/ʔbut̚³/

Definitions

佛

(Mainland China, Internet slang) Alternative form of 服 (fú, “You win”).

Japanese

Shinjitai	仏
Kyūjitai	佛

Kanji

佛

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 仏)

Kyūjitai form of 仏

Readings

Go-on: ぶつ (butsu)
Kan-on: ふつ (futsu)
Kun: ほとけ (hotoke, 佛)
Nanori: さとる (satoru)

Definitions

For pronunciation and definitions of 佛 – see the following entry.

【仏ほとけ】5	[noun] (Buddhism) a buddha (enlightened or awakened sentient being) [noun] (Buddhism) a statue or image of any buddha [noun] a departed soul, deceased [noun] (colloquial) a term that a parent calls a child expressing parental affection, equivalent to “my dear” [noun] (religion) Buddhism [noun] (Buddhism) performing a Buddhist memorial service [proper noun] (Buddhism) the Sakyamuni Buddha, Nepalese spiritual and philosophical teacher and founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama [proper noun] (Buddhism) any of the other buddhas named in Buddhist scriptures
【仏ぶつ】5	[noun] (religion) Buddhism [proper noun] Short for 仏陀 (Butsuda, Budda): Buddha [affix] Buddha [affix] Short for 仏教 (Bukkyō). Buddhism [affix] Short for 仏像 (butsuzō). Buddhist image
【仏ふつ】5	[affix] Short for フランス (Furansu): France

(This term, 佛, is an alternative spelling of the above terms.)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 佛 (MC bɨut̚).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	뿌ᇙ〮 (Yale: ppwúlq)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
Text	*Gloss (hun)*	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527	부텨 (Yale: Pwùthyè)	불〮 (Yale: pwúl)

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [puɭ]
Phonetic hangul: [불]

Hanja

Wikisource佛 (eumhun 부처 불 (bucheo bul))

Hanja form^? of 불 (“Buddha”).
Hanja form^? of 불 (“France (in compounds, in news media)”).

Compounds

불교 (佛敎, bulgyo)
불경 (佛經, bulgyeong)
성불 (成佛, seongbul)
불어 (佛語, Bureo)

Proper noun

Hanja in this term
佛

佛 • (Bul) (hangeul 불)

(in news headlines) Short for 佛(불)蘭(란)西(서) (Bullanseo, “France”).

Usage notes

A common convention in news headlines, this is almost always written solely in the Hanja form, even in contemporary Korean text otherwise devoid of any Hanja.

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Old Japanese

Etymology

Most likely from Proto-Koreanic *Pwutukye (“Buddha”).

Noun

佛 (poto₂ke₂) (kana ほとけ)

(Buddhism) a carving, image, statue, or other likeness of a buddha
- c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 16, poem 3841), text here
  佛造眞朱不足者水渟池田乃阿曾我鼻上乎穿禮
  poto₂ke₂ tukuru ma-so₂po tarazupa mi₁du tamaru Ike₂da no₂ aso₂ ga pana no₂ upe₂ wo pore
  For the Buddha statue, you lack enough vermilion―so there is the puddle of Lord “Pond Field” Ikeda, dig in that big red nose.[1]

Descendants

Japanese: 仏 (hotoke)

References

Jin'ichi Konishi (2017), Aileen Gatten, Nicholas Teele, transl.; Earl Roy Miner, editor, A History of Japanese Literature, Volume 1: The Archaic and Ancient Ages (Volume 4935 of Princeton Legacy Library), Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 415

Vietnamese

Han character

佛: Hán Việt readings: phật (符(phù)勿(vật)切(thiết))[1][2][3][4][5], phất[3]
佛: Nôm readings: phật[1][2][3][4][6]

chữ Hán form of Phật (“Buddha, the Enlightened One”).
chữ Hán form of Phật (“Buddhism”).

Compounds

阿彌陀佛 (A Di Đà Phật)
德佛母 (Đức Phật Mẫu)
口佛心蛇 (khẩu phật tâm xà)
無佛 (mô Phật)
念佛 (niệm Phật)
佛陀 (Phật Đà)
佛臺 (phật đài)
佛誕 (Phật Đản)
佛教 (Phật giáo)
佛手 (phật thủ)
佛子 (phật tử)

References

Nguyễn (2014).
Nguyễn et al. (2009).
Trần (2004).
Bonet (1899).
Génibrel (1898).
Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).

Zhuang

Noun

佛

Sawndip form of baed (“Buddha; shrine; spirit; god”)

[1] Jin'ichi Konishi (2017), Aileen Gatten, Nicholas Teele, transl.; Earl Roy Miner, editor, A History of Japanese Literature, Volume 1: The Archaic and Ancient Ages (Volume 4935 of Princeton Legacy Library), Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 415

[tdcndg-2] Nguyễn (2014).

[tdcntd-3] Nguyễn et al. (2009).

[gdhn-4] Trần (2004).

[bonet-5] Bonet (1899).

[genibrel-6] Génibrel (1898).

[taberd-7] Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).