面壁

Chinese

 
face; side; surface; aspect; top
wall; rampart
simp. and trad.
(面壁)
Literally: “to face the wall”.

Etymology

Bodhidharma, the Buddhist monk credited with transmitting Chan (Zen) Buddhism to China, was said to have practised wall-gazing for nine years near the Shaolin Monastery.

Pronunciation



Rime
Character
Reading # 1/1 1/1
Initial () (4) (1)
Final () (77) (127)
Tone (調) Departing (H) Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open Open
Division () III IV
Fanqie
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/miᴇnH/ /pek̚/
Pan
Wuyun
/miɛnH/ /pek̚/
Shao
Rongfen
/mjænH/ /pɛk̚/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/mianH/ /pɛjk̚/
Li
Rong
/miɛnH/ /pek̚/
Wang
Li
/mĭɛnH/ /piek̚/
Bernard
Karlgren
/mi̯ɛnH/ /piek̚/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
miàn bi

Verb

面壁

  1. (Buddhism) to sit facing the wall in meditation
  2. (figuratively, especially Buddhism) to study or work with undivided attention
  3. (in general) to face the wall (especially as a punishment); to stand facing the wall (to self-reflect)

Derived terms

  • 九年面壁
  • 杜門面壁杜门面壁
  • 面壁下帷
  • 面壁九年
  • 面壁功深
  • 面壁參面壁参
  • 面壁坐禪面壁坐禅
  • 面壁思過面壁思过 (miànbìsīguò)
  • 面壁磨磚面壁磨砖
  • 面壁而已
  • 面壁虛構面壁虚构
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