破魔

• On’yomi
  • (Tokyo) は​ま [háꜜmà] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
  • IPA^(key): [ha̠ma̠]

Buddhist term, imported into Japanese when Buddhism was introduced to Japan, some time during the Kofun, Asuka, and Nara periods.[1][2]

Appears to be from Middle Chinese compound 破魔 (MC pʰuɑ^H muɑ, literally “break + demon”).

Alternately, could be a Japanese coinage using Middle Chinese elements, as a compound of Middle Chinese-derived 破 (ha, “break, destroy”) +‎ 魔 (ma, “demon, devil”).

破魔 (hiragana はま, rōmaji hama)

1. (Buddhism) defeating a devil or demon, particularly the demons of worldly desires or passions

• 破魔士 (はまし, ​hamashi): an exorcist (Buddhism)
• 破魔術 (はまふつま, ​hamajutsu): exorcism (Buddhism; the technique of exorcising, rather than the act of doing so)

• 祓 (はらえ, ​harae)
• (exorcise; specific to Christianity): 祓魔 (ふつま, ​futsuma)
• (driving away evil spirits in general): 悪魔払い, 悪魔祓い (あくまばらい, ​akumabarai); 魔除け (まよけ, ​mayoke)

破魔する (hiragana はまする, rōmaji hama suru)

1. (Buddhism) to defeat a devil or demon, particularly the demons of worldly desires or passions

Unknown. The kanji are ateji (当て字).[2][3]

Possibly cognate with 嵌める, 填める (hameru, “to fit or set one thing into another”), by way of the Old Japanese form 填む, 嵌む (​hamu).

破魔 (hiragana はま, rōmaji hama)

1. a target for 破魔矢 (hamaya) archery, round and generally made of bound straw or tree branches
2. short for 破魔弓 (hamayumi): a decorative bow, formerly used for special New Years archery competitions and now used as a ward against evil

• 破 (は)魔 (ま)矢 (や) (hamaya): a decorative arrow used as a ward against evil
• 破 (は)魔 (ま)弓 (ゆみ) (hamayumi): decorative bow used to shoot a hamaya, given to boys as a toy at New Years