This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

Readings

Kana: ゼン、セン、しずか、ゆず.る
Romaji: zen, sen, shizuka, yuzu.ru
Kana
Romaji

Meanings

Zen, silent meditation

Stroke Diagram

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Kanji Info

Stroke Count:  13
Radical Number:  113
Frequency:  1902
Grade:  8
Skip Pattern:  1-4-9
Korean Reading:  seon
Chinese Reading:  chan2
Unicode:  7985
JIS:  4135

Indexes

Halpern Index: 1032
Nelson Index: 3255
New Nelson Index: 4104
Spahn Hadamitzky Index: 4e9.2
Four Corner Index: 3225.6
Guide to Remembering Index: 1502
Gakken Index: 1551
Japanese Names Index: 1886
Daikanwanjiten Index: 24787P
Daikanwanjiten Index and Page: 8.0494
Remembering the kanji Index: 1930
Kanji Flashcards Index: 1580
Kodansha Compact Index: 1426
Kanji in Context Index: 589
1999 Kanji Learners Index: 708
2013 Kanji Learners Index: 947
French Remembering the Kanji Index: 1949
Remembering the Kanji 6th Index: 2080
Essential Kanji Index: 1063
Kodansha Kanji Index: 1306
Roo 2001 Kanji Index: 655
Tuttle Kanji Cards Index: 1654

Words

(ぜん)
dhyana (profound meditation); Zen (Buddhism)
禅師 (ぜんじ、ぜんし)
monk; priest, particularly a high-ranking Zen monk honored by the imperial court
禅定 (ぜんじょう)
dhyana-samadhi (meditative concentration); ascetic practice atop a sacred mountain (in Shugendou); mountain top
座禅 (ざぜん)
zazen (seated Zen meditation, usu. in a cross-legged position)
禅堂 (ぜんどう)
zendo (Zen meditation hall)
禅宗 (ぜんしゅう)
Zen (Buddhism)
禅僧 (ぜんそう)
Zen priest
禅譲 (ぜんじょう)
(historical, in China) abdication by an emperor in favor (favour) of a more virtuous successor
友禅 (ゆうぜん)
type of dyeing method or pattern; silk printed by the Yuzen process
禅問答 (ぜんもんどう)
Zen dialogue; Zen questions and answers
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