"zen" meaning in English

See zen in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Audio: en-us-zen.ogg Forms: more zen [comparative], most zen [superlative]
Rhymes: -ɛn Etymology: From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Head templates: {{en-adj}} zen (comparative more zen, superlative most zen)
  1. (religion) Alternative letter-case form of Zen: of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories. Tags: alt-of Alternative form of: Zen (extra: of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories) Categories (topical): Religion, Buddhism
    Sense id: en-zen-en-adj-Zn3dYQCC Disambiguation of Buddhism: 60 14 23 4 Topics: lifestyle, religion
  2. (colloquial) Wise, displaying enlightenment or similar wisdom, insightful, unburdened and free of worries, extremely relaxed and capable. Tags: colloquial
    Sense id: en-zen-en-adj-JI1vBXdF Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 16 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 19 36 17 28 Disambiguation of Pages with 16 entries: 7 28 6 12 1 2 0 3 3 3 7 4 4 9 9 0 1 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 6 33 5 15 1 2 0 3 3 3 6 4 3 8 8 0 1
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: Zen

Noun

Audio: en-us-zen.ogg
Rhymes: -ɛn Etymology: From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Head templates: {{en-noun|-}} zen (uncountable)
  1. (religion) Synonym of enlightenment, particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation. Tags: uncountable Categories (topical): Religion Synonyms: enlightenment [synonym, synonym-of], particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-zen-en-noun-qoZCLM7c Topics: lifestyle, religion
  2. An approach to instruction, understanding, or an activity similarly emphasizing simplicity and intuition rather than conventional thinking or fixation on goals. Tags: uncountable Categories (topical): Education Synonyms (a simple & intuitive method reflecting supposed Eastern wisdom): tao
    Sense id: en-zen-en-noun-FAKx2ibb Disambiguation of Education: 17 6 0 77 Disambiguation of 'a simple & intuitive method reflecting supposed Eastern wisdom': 39 61
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: Zen

Alternative forms

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  "etymology_text": "From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.",
  "head_templates": [
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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        [
          "Zen",
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          "meditation",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(religion) Synonym of enlightenment, particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation."
      ],
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            "synonym",
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          ],
          "word": "enlightenment"
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        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
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          ],
          "word": "particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
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      "topics": [
        "lifestyle",
        "religion"
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    {
      "categories": [
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          "_dis": "17 6 0 77",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Education",
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          "parents": [
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            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
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        {
          "text": "the zen of cooking",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "the zen of passing the bar exam",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "the zen of C++",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An approach to instruction, understanding, or an activity similarly emphasizing simplicity and intuition rather than conventional thinking or fixation on goals."
      ],
      "id": "en-zen-en-noun-FAKx2ibb",
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        [
          "instruction",
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        [
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        [
          "activity",
          "activity"
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        [
          "simplicity",
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        ],
        [
          "intuition",
          "intuition"
        ],
        [
          "conventional",
          "conventional"
        ],
        [
          "thinking",
          "thinking"
        ],
        [
          "fixation",
          "fixation"
        ],
        [
          "goal",
          "goal"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "39 61",
          "sense": "a simple & intuitive method reflecting supposed Eastern wisdom",
          "word": "tao"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "audio": "en-us-zen.ogg",
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      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/En-us-zen.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛn"
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      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
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  "wikipedia": [
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    "Robert M. Pirsig",
    "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance",
    "Zen in the Art of Archery"
  ],
  "word": "zen"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more zen",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most zen",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
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          "extra": "of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories",
          "word": "Zen"
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          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Religion",
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          "source": "w"
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        {
          "_dis": "60 14 23 4",
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          "ref": "2006 Oct. 1, Dennis Lehane, \"Refugees\", The Wire, 00:37:10",
          "text": "Greggs: You hung over? Just sayin', you look like shit.\nMoreland: You know what you need at a crime scene?\nGreggs: Rubber glove?\nMoreland: Soft eyes.\nGreggs: Like I'm s'posed to cry an' shit?\nMoreland: You got soft eyes, you can see the whole thing. You got hard eyes? You starin' at the same tree, missin' the forest.\nGreggs: Ah. Zen shit.\nMoreland: Soft eyes, grasshopper."
        }
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      "glosses": [
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      "id": "en-zen-en-adj-Zn3dYQCC",
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          "Zen",
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        [
          "particularly",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(religion) Alternative letter-case form of Zen: of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories."
      ],
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      "topics": [
        "lifestyle",
        "religion"
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      "categories": [
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          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 28 6 12 1 2 0 3 3 3 7 4 4 9 9 0 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 16 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "6 33 5 15 1 2 0 3 3 3 6 4 3 8 8 0 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Wise, displaying enlightenment or similar wisdom, insightful, unburdened and free of worries, extremely relaxed and capable."
      ],
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          "enlightenment",
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        [
          "wisdom",
          "wisdom"
        ],
        [
          "insightful",
          "insightful"
        ],
        [
          "unburdened",
          "unburdened"
        ],
        [
          "free",
          "free"
        ],
        [
          "worries",
          "worries"
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        [
          "relax",
          "relax"
        ],
        [
          "capable",
          "capable"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) Wise, displaying enlightenment or similar wisdom, insightful, unburdened and free of worries, extremely relaxed and capable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/En-us-zen.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛn"
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  ],
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    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "Zen"
    }
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    "Robert M. Pirsig",
    "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance",
    "Zen in the Art of Archery"
  ],
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}
{
  "categories": [
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    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛn",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛn/1 syllable",
    "en:Buddhism",
    "en:Education"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.",
  "head_templates": [
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      "expansion": "zen (uncountable)",
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  "lang_code": "en",
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      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of enlightenment, particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation."
      ],
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          "enlightenment",
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        [
          "Zen",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(religion) Synonym of enlightenment, particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "enlightenment"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "particularly the kind acquired through Zen meditation"
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          "text": "the zen of cooking",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "the zen of passing the bar exam",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "the zen of C++",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An approach to instruction, understanding, or an activity similarly emphasizing simplicity and intuition rather than conventional thinking or fixation on goals."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "approach"
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        [
          "instruction",
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        [
          "understanding",
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        [
          "activity",
          "activity"
        ],
        [
          "simplicity",
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        [
          "intuition",
          "intuition"
        ],
        [
          "conventional",
          "conventional"
        ],
        [
          "thinking",
          "thinking"
        ],
        [
          "fixation",
          "fixation"
        ],
        [
          "goal",
          "goal"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
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    }
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  "sounds": [
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    {
      "sense": "a simple & intuitive method reflecting supposed Eastern wisdom",
      "word": "tao"
    },
    {
      "word": "Zen"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Eugen Herrigel",
    "Robert M. Pirsig",
    "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance",
    "Zen in the Art of Archery"
  ],
  "word": "zen"
}

{
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English three-letter words",
    "English uncountable nouns",
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    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛn",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛn/1 syllable",
    "en:Buddhism",
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  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Zen. In more general use, popularized by Eugen Herrigel's 1948 Zen in the Art of Archery and Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more zen",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most zen",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
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          "extra": "of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories",
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      ],
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        }
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        "Alternative letter-case form of Zen: of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories."
      ],
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          "Zen",
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        [
          "Zen",
          "Zen"
        ],
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          "Buddhism"
        ],
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          "riddle",
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        ],
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        "(religion) Alternative letter-case form of Zen: of or related to Zen Buddhism, particularly its focus on indirect teaching of wisdom through riddles and stories."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "lifestyle",
        "religion"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English colloquialisms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Wise, displaying enlightenment or similar wisdom, insightful, unburdened and free of worries, extremely relaxed and capable."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Wise",
          "wise"
        ],
        [
          "enlightenment",
          "enlightenment"
        ],
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          "wisdom",
          "wisdom"
        ],
        [
          "insightful",
          "insightful"
        ],
        [
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          "unburdened"
        ],
        [
          "free",
          "free"
        ],
        [
          "worries",
          "worries"
        ],
        [
          "relax",
          "relax"
        ],
        [
          "capable",
          "capable"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) Wise, displaying enlightenment or similar wisdom, insightful, unburdened and free of worries, extremely relaxed and capable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/ec/En-us-zen.ogg/En-us-zen.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/En-us-zen.ogg"
    },
    {
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  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "Zen"
    }
  ],
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    "Eugen Herrigel",
    "Robert M. Pirsig",
    "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance",
    "Zen in the Art of Archery"
  ],
  "word": "zen"
}

Download raw JSONL data for zen meaning in English (5.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.