About
The character "菩" is composed of the grass radical "艹" over the phonetic element "咅", which originally linked it to botanical contexts, such as a type of grass or tree. Its meaning transformed significantly with the introduction of Buddhism into China, where it was adopted for transliterating Sanskrit terms, becoming essential in compounds like "菩提" for bodhi, or enlightenment, and "菩萨" for bodhisattva. This shift from a mere plant reference to a central lexical component in Buddhist philosophy illustrates how the character's semantic value was redefined while its structural form remained unchanged.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
寺庙里有一尊菩萨像。
奶奶每天都虔诚地拜菩萨。
菩提树是一种神圣的植物。
他在寻求觉悟的菩提之道。
这位菩萨象征着智慧与慈悲。
高僧在菩提树下静坐冥思。
佛经中记载了菩萨的种种宏愿。
菩萨以慈悲心普度众生的精神令人敬仰。