禪

A phono-semantic compound:

示 (altar; ritual; sacrifice) — semantic component, reflects the character’s original ritual and sacrificial meaning

單 (single; simple) — phonetic component, provides the sound (seon / chán / shàn)

Originally, 禪 referred to imperial sacrificial rites, especially 封禪 (fengshan) — ceremonies in which the emperor offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth

These rites symbolized:

- heavenly legitimacy

- cosmic order

- imperial authority

Thus, 禪 initially had no Buddhist meaning.

When Buddhism entered China, the Sanskrit word "dhyāna" (meditative absorption) was transliterated as 禪那 (chánnà).

Over time, the shortened form 禪 came to mean:

- meditation

- contemplative practice

- Buddhist meditative discipline

From this developed:

參禪 — to practice meditation

禪宗 — the Zen (Chan) school

This meaning later spread to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, becoming:

Seon (선) in Korean

Zen in Japanese

Thiền in Vietnamese

In Korea 禪 has primarily Buddhist or philosophical contexts.

참선 (參禪) — meditative practice

선종 (禪宗) — Zen Buddhism

봉선 (封禪) — imperial Heaven-and-Earth sacrifice

禪 emphasizes direct insight through meditation, not doctrine or ritual alone.

Conceptual contrast:

禪 — meditative absorption; ritual transcendence

定 — concentration; stability

靜 — stillness; quietness

修 — cultivation; practice