"魔羅" meaning in Japanese

See 魔羅 in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: [ma̠ɾa̠], [ma̠ɾa̠] Forms: 魔羅 [canonical] (ruby: (), ()), mara [romanization]
Etymology: From Middle Chinese 魔羅 (muɑ lɑ), in turn a transcription of Sanskrit मार (Māra, “the Destroyer, the Evil One”). The kanji are phonetic ateji (当て字) applied when transcribing the Sanskrit into Middle Chinese. The shift from "Buddhist evil demon" to "penis" was originally slang use among monks, in reference to sexual desires distracting one from the path to enlightenment. Some sources link this term to 放る (maru, “to excrete”). However, the verb maru refers to "excreting" bodily wastes in general, not just urination but also defecation, and some sources also list flatulation as an included sense. In addition, other nouns attested from Old Japanese that derive from verbs and end in -a appear to be the result of the action of the verb, which does not fit this case. Ultimately, the proposed connection between Sanskrit-derived mara ("penis") and Japonic-derived maru ("to excrete") appears to be a folk etymology, likely arising from the superficial similarity in forms. First attested in the Nihon Ryōiki, in a section dated to the early 800s. Etymology templates: {{der|ja|ltc|魔羅}} Middle Chinese 魔羅 (muɑ lɑ), {{der|ja|sa|^मार||the Destroyer, the Evil One}} Sanskrit मार (Māra, “the Destroyer, the Evil One”), {{sortkey|ja|魔羅}} まら, {{ateji}} ateji (当て字), {{noncog|sa|-}} Sanskrit, {{noncog|ltc|-}} Middle Chinese Head templates: {{ja-noun|まら}} 魔(ま)羅(ら) • (mara)
  1. (Buddhism) Mara: a Buddhist demon that personifies the "death" of spiritual life Categories (topical): Buddhism
    Sense id: en-魔羅-ja-noun-0VMzIr6K Categories (other): Japanese entries with incorrect language header, Japanese links with redundant alt parameters, Japanese links with redundant wikilinks, Japanese terms with 2 kanji, Japanese terms with redundant sortkeys, Pages with 10 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of Japanese entries with incorrect language header: 63 37 Disambiguation of Japanese links with redundant alt parameters: 65 35 Disambiguation of Japanese links with redundant wikilinks: 66 34 Disambiguation of Japanese terms with 2 kanji: 62 38 Disambiguation of Japanese terms with redundant sortkeys: 66 34 Disambiguation of Pages with 10 entries: 76 24 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 82 18 Topics: Buddhism, lifestyle, religion
  2. (anatomy) penis Categories (topical): Anatomy Synonyms: 陰茎
    Sense id: en-魔羅-ja-noun-9pUtbu9V Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences
{
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        "2": "ltc",
        "3": "魔羅"
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      "expansion": "Middle Chinese 魔羅 (muɑ lɑ)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ja",
        "2": "sa",
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        "5": "the Destroyer, the Evil One"
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      "expansion": "Sanskrit मार (Māra, “the Destroyer, the Evil One”)",
      "name": "der"
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        "1": "ja",
        "2": "魔羅"
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      "args": {},
      "expansion": "ateji (当て字)",
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        "1": "ltc",
        "2": "-"
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      "expansion": "Middle Chinese",
      "name": "noncog"
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  "etymology_text": "From Middle Chinese 魔羅 (muɑ lɑ), in turn a transcription of Sanskrit मार (Māra, “the Destroyer, the Evil One”). The kanji are phonetic ateji (当て字) applied when transcribing the Sanskrit into Middle Chinese.\nThe shift from \"Buddhist evil demon\" to \"penis\" was originally slang use among monks, in reference to sexual desires distracting one from the path to enlightenment.\nSome sources link this term to 放る (maru, “to excrete”). However, the verb maru refers to \"excreting\" bodily wastes in general, not just urination but also defecation, and some sources also list flatulation as an included sense. In addition, other nouns attested from Old Japanese that derive from verbs and end in -a appear to be the result of the action of the verb, which does not fit this case. Ultimately, the proposed connection between Sanskrit-derived mara (\"penis\") and Japonic-derived maru (\"to excrete\") appears to be a folk etymology, likely arising from the superficial similarity in forms.\nFirst attested in the Nihon Ryōiki, in a section dated to the early 800s.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "魔羅",
      "ruby": [
        [
          "魔",
          "ま"
        ],
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          "羅",
          "ら"
        ]
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      "tags": [
        "canonical"
      ]
    },
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      "form": "mara",
      "tags": [
        "romanization"
      ]
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  "lang": "Japanese",
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          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "ja",
          "name": "Buddhism",
          "orig": "ja:Buddhism",
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            "Culture",
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            "Fundamental"
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          "source": "w"
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          "_dis": "63 37",
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          "_dis": "65 35",
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          "_dis": "62 38",
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          "_dis": "66 34",
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          "parents": [
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          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Mara: a Buddhist demon that personifies the \"death\" of spiritual life"
      ],
      "id": "en-魔羅-ja-noun-0VMzIr6K",
      "links": [
        [
          "Buddhism",
          "Buddhism"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Buddhism) Mara: a Buddhist demon that personifies the \"death\" of spiritual life"
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        "religion"
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            "Sciences",
            "Healthcare",
            "All topics",
            "Health",
            "Fundamental",
            "Body"
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          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "Penis: The Classic of the Bedchamber calls it 'jade stalk', it is a name for the male sex organ … One name [is] mara",
          "ref": "938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 2, page 45:",
          "text": "玉茎 房内經云 玉茎 男陰名也 [...] 一云 麻良 [...]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "english": "Mara. Also, nancon^([sic]). A penis. Vulgar language.",
          "ref": "1603, Vocabvlario da Lingoa de Iapam (Nippo Jisho) [Vocabulary of the Language of Japan] (in Portuguese), Nagasaki, page 386:",
          "text": "Mara. l, nancon. マラ. または, ナンコン (𨳯. または, 男根) 陰茎. 卑語.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "penis"
      ],
      "id": "en-魔羅-ja-noun-9pUtbu9V",
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          "anatomy"
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          "penis",
          "penis"
        ]
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        "(anatomy) penis"
      ],
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          "word": "陰茎"
        }
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        "anatomy",
        "medicine",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "other": "まら"
    },
    {
      "other": "まら"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ma̠ɾa̠]"
    },
    {
      "note": "Yamanashi",
      "other": "[màráꜜ]"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ma̠ɾa̠]"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Daijisen#Online_search_engines",
    "Kōjien",
    "Nihon Kokugo Daijiten",
    "Nihon Ryōiki",
    "Shinmura Izuru",
    "Tōkai–Tōsan dialect"
  ],
  "word": "魔羅"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Japanese entries with incorrect language header",
    "Japanese lemmas",
    "Japanese links with redundant alt parameters",
    "Japanese links with redundant wikilinks",
    "Japanese nouns",
    "Japanese terms derived from Middle Chinese",
    "Japanese terms derived from Sanskrit",
    "Japanese terms spelled with ateji",
    "Japanese terms spelled with secondary school kanji",
    "Japanese terms with 2 kanji",
    "Japanese terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "Japanese terms with redundant sortkeys",
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    "Pages with entries"
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  "etymology_templates": [
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      "name": "der"
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      "args": {
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      "name": "der"
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        "1": "ltc",
        "2": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Chinese",
      "name": "noncog"
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  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle Chinese 魔羅 (muɑ lɑ), in turn a transcription of Sanskrit मार (Māra, “the Destroyer, the Evil One”). The kanji are phonetic ateji (当て字) applied when transcribing the Sanskrit into Middle Chinese.\nThe shift from \"Buddhist evil demon\" to \"penis\" was originally slang use among monks, in reference to sexual desires distracting one from the path to enlightenment.\nSome sources link this term to 放る (maru, “to excrete”). However, the verb maru refers to \"excreting\" bodily wastes in general, not just urination but also defecation, and some sources also list flatulation as an included sense. In addition, other nouns attested from Old Japanese that derive from verbs and end in -a appear to be the result of the action of the verb, which does not fit this case. Ultimately, the proposed connection between Sanskrit-derived mara (\"penis\") and Japonic-derived maru (\"to excrete\") appears to be a folk etymology, likely arising from the superficial similarity in forms.\nFirst attested in the Nihon Ryōiki, in a section dated to the early 800s.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "魔羅",
      "ruby": [
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          "魔",
          "ま"
        ],
        [
          "羅",
          "ら"
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        "canonical"
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      "form": "mara",
      "tags": [
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    {
      "args": {
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      "expansion": "魔(ま)羅(ら) • (mara)",
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  "lang": "Japanese",
  "lang_code": "ja",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
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      "glosses": [
        "Mara: a Buddhist demon that personifies the \"death\" of spiritual life"
      ],
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        "(Buddhism) Mara: a Buddhist demon that personifies the \"death\" of spiritual life"
      ],
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        "religion"
      ]
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          "english": "Penis: The Classic of the Bedchamber calls it 'jade stalk', it is a name for the male sex organ … One name [is] mara",
          "ref": "938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 2, page 45:",
          "text": "玉茎 房内經云 玉茎 男陰名也 [...] 一云 麻良 [...]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "english": "Mara. Also, nancon^([sic]). A penis. Vulgar language.",
          "ref": "1603, Vocabvlario da Lingoa de Iapam (Nippo Jisho) [Vocabulary of the Language of Japan] (in Portuguese), Nagasaki, page 386:",
          "text": "Mara. l, nancon. マラ. または, ナンコン (𨳯. または, 男根) 陰茎. 卑語.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
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        "(anatomy) penis"
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      "synonyms": [
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          "word": "陰茎"
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      "topics": [
        "anatomy",
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    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "other": "まら"
    },
    {
      "other": "まら"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ma̠ɾa̠]"
    },
    {
      "note": "Yamanashi",
      "other": "[màráꜜ]"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ma̠ɾa̠]"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Daijisen#Online_search_engines",
    "Kōjien",
    "Nihon Kokugo Daijiten",
    "Nihon Ryōiki",
    "Shinmura Izuru",
    "Tōkai–Tōsan dialect"
  ],
  "word": "魔羅"
}

Download raw JSONL data for 魔羅 meaning in Japanese (4.1kB)

{
  "called_from": "parser/1336",
  "msg": "no corresponding start tag found for </span>",
  "path": [
    "魔羅"
  ],
  "section": "Japanese",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "魔羅",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Japanese dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (ee63ee9 and 4230888). 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.