Where does “比丘尼” come from?
比丘尼 (Japanese) comes from Pali bhikkhunī, from Sanskrit भिक्षुणी, from Sanskrit नी, from Proto-Indo-European neyH- — to lead.
比丘尼 (Japanese): bhikkhuni
Ancestry of “比丘尼”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Pali | bhikkhunī | Buddhist nun |
| 2 | Sanskrit | भिक्षुणी | Buddhist nun |
| 3 | Sanskrit | नी | to guide, govern, direct |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | neyH- | to lead |