仏(ほとけ)

ほとけ

noun

Buddha; deceased person

colloquialreligion

1. Buddha

The enlightened one in Buddhism; a Buddhist deity.

仏(ほとけ)に祈(いの)る。

To pray to Buddha.

仏様(ほとけさま)にお花(はな)を供(そな)える。

To offer flowers to the Buddha/deceased.

仏像(ぶつぞう)を拝(おが)む。

To worship a Buddha statue.

仏(ほとけ)の教(おし)え。

The teachings of Buddha.

お寺(てら)で仏様(ほとけさま)を見(み)た。

I saw Buddha statues at the temple.

2. deceased person, departed soul

A person who has died (respectful term).

仏様(ほとけさま)にお花(はな)を供(そな)える。

To offer flowers to the Buddha/deceased.

仏様(ほとけさま)に手(て)を合(あ)わせる。

To put hands together in prayer for the deceased.

仏壇(ぶつだん)に仏様(ほとけさま)を祀(まつ)る。

To enshrine the deceased at the Buddhist altar.

仏様(ほとけさま)のためにお経(きょう)をあげる。

To chant sutras for the deceased.

ご先祖(せんぞ)の仏様(ほとけさま)。

The departed ancestors.

3. merciful person

Someone who is extremely kind or forgiving.

仏(ほとけ)の顔(かお)も三度(さんど)まで。

Even Buddha's patience has its limits.

Proverb: even a kind person loses patience after repeated offenses

彼(かれ)は仏(ほとけ)のような人(ひと)だ。

He's as merciful as Buddha.

仏(ほとけ)の心(こころ)で許(ゆる)した。

I forgave with a merciful heart.

上司(じょうし)は仏(ほとけ)みたいだ。

My boss is extremely kind.

彼女(かのじょ)は本当(ほんとう)に仏(ほとけ)だ。

She's truly a saint.

Has religious, respectful, and colloquial uses.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 1, Buddha):

仏像(ぶつぞう) (Buddha statue)
仏教(ぶっきょう) (Buddhism)
仏様(ほとけさま) (respectful form)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 2, the deceased):

仏様(ほとけさま) (the deceased - respectful)
仏壇(ぶつだん) (Buddhist altar)
Often used euphemistically

Common expressions

仏(ほとけ)の顔(かお)も三度(さんど)(まで) (Even Buddha loses patience after three times)
仏(ほとけ)作(つく)って魂(たましい)入(い)れず (Making a Buddha without putting in the soul - incomplete work)

Pronunciation

ほとけ - native Japanese reading (kun'yomi)
ぶつ - Sino-Japanese reading (on'yomi, used in compounds)

Related Words

Related: 仏教(ぶっきょう) (Buddhism)

core

Added 2026.1.12 21:24 · Revised 2026.10.10 9:36

03500/03722_hotoke