Where does “菩提” come from?

菩提 (Chinese) comes from Sanskrit बोधि, from Proto-Indo-Aryan bawdʰíṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian bawdʰíš, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- — to be awake, be aware.

菩提 (Chinese): bodhi; Short for 菩提樹/菩提树; Short for 菩提子

Definitions

  1. bodhi; Short for 菩提樹/菩提树; Short for 菩提子

Ancestry of “菩提”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritबोधि(also feminine gender) bodhi: perfect knowledge or wisdom (by which a man becomes a buddha or jina), the illuminated or enlightened intellect (of a Buddha or jina)
2Proto-Indo-Aryanbawdʰíṣ
3Proto-Indo-Iranianbawdʰíš
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewdʰ-to be awake, be aware
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian bawdʰíšEvery word from Proto-Indo-Aryan bawdʰíṣ