1.
Buddha; Buddhist deity
A respectful way to refer to the Buddha or Buddhist deities. The さま suffix adds reverence.
仏様に手を合わせた。
I pressed my hands together in prayer to the Buddha.
祖母は毎朝仏壇の仏様にお茶を供えていた。
My grandmother offered tea to the Buddha at the household altar every morning.
困った時の仏様頼みでは遅い。
It's too late to pray to Buddha only when you're in trouble.
2.
the deceased; the dead person
A respectful, euphemistic way to refer to a person who has died. Rooted in the Buddhist belief that the deceased becomes a buddha. Common in conversation about funerals and death.
仏様のお顔はとても穏やかだった。
The face of the deceased looked very peaceful.
仏様に花を手向けた。
I offered flowers to the deceased.
葬儀の際、仏様の思い出を語る時間が設けられた。
At the funeral, time was set aside to share memories of the deceased.
USAGE:
The plain form 仏 exists but 仏様 is far more common in spoken language due to the reverence associated with both meanings. In sense 2, it is a gentler alternative to direct words for death.
CULTURE:
In Japanese Buddhism, it is believed that the deceased become buddhas, which is why the same word is used for both meanings. This connection shapes many Japanese funeral customs.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 仏様に祈る (to pray to Buddha)
- 仏様を拝む (to worship Buddha)
- 仏様のような人 (a person as kind as Buddha — an extremely kind person)