檀

It refers to a specific kind of tree, but the actual species differs by country and context.

By extension, it also refers to sandalwood and, in Buddhist usage, to things related to Buddhism or ritual purity.

A phono-semantic compound:

木 (목) — semantic component indicating “tree”

亶 (단) — phonetic component providing the sound "dan"

Original sense “a particular kind of hardwood tree.”

Although 檀 consistently means “a kind of tree” across the Sinosphere, the exact tree it denotes varies:

China

Commonly identified as 青檀 (Pteroceltis tatarinowii) — Elm family; traditionally used for high-quality paper. Sometimes used more broadly for other hardwood trees.

Korea

Primarily refers to 박달나무 (birch tree). Strong cultural association through 檀君 (Dangun), the legendary founder of Korea. Widely understood as a symbolic and historical tree.

Japan

Native kun-reading マユミ (mayumi) refers not to birch but to Euonymus hamiltonianus (spindle tree, Celastraceae). Korean “bakdal” tree is instead called 斧折樺 (onoorekanba).

In Korean and Chinese, it remains culturally and religiously significant. Botanical identification must always be inferred from context.

檀木 (단목) — sandalwood; hardwood

檀香 (단향) — sandalwood incense

檀君 (단군) — Dangun, legendary founder of Korea

檀越 (단월) — Buddhist donor (classical)

檀林 (단림) — monastic grove; Buddhist temple woods

Across China, Korea, and Japan, 檀 is commonly used as an abbreviation for 栴檀香 (sandalwood).

From this, 檀 also functions as a Buddhist prefix, indicating:

- ritual purity

- monastic or devotional context

- Buddhist institutions or objects

「栴檀之香，近者亦香。」 — Buddhist proverb

“The fragrance of sandalwood perfumes even those nearby.”

「檀越施財，福德無量。」 — Buddhist scriptures

“When a donor gives, merit is immeasurable.”