Koan

Pronunciation: /koʊˈɑn/

Definitions of koan

noun a paradoxical anecdote or riddle used in Zen Buddhism to provoke meditation and aid in spiritual growth

Example Sentences

A1 A koan is a type of riddle or puzzle used in Zen Buddhism.

A2 In Zen practice, meditating on a koan can help deepen one's understanding.

B1 The monk pondered over the koan given to him by his teacher.

B2 Many people find koans to be a challenging yet rewarding aspect of Zen practice.

C1 Scholars often debate the meanings and interpretations of various koans.

C2 Masters of Zen are known for their ability to guide students through the study of koans.

Examples of koan in a Sentence

formal The monk meditated on a difficult koan given to him by his teacher.

informal I heard that koans are meant to be pondered deeply to reach enlightenment.

slang I'm stuck on this koan and can't figure it out for the life of me.

figurative Life's mysteries can sometimes feel like a koan that we must unravel.

Grammatical Forms of koan

• plural: koans
• comparative: more koan
• superlative: most koan
• present tense: koan
• future tense: will koan
• perfect tense: have koaned
• continuous tense: is koaning
• singular: koan
• positive degree: koan
• infinitive: to koan
• gerund: koaning
• participle: koaned

Origin and Evolution of koan

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Japanese

Story behind the word: The word 'koan' originates from the Japanese Zen Buddhist tradition.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in Zen Buddhism to refer to paradoxical statements or questions used as meditation aids, the term 'koan' has since been adopted in Western culture to describe any puzzling or enigmatic statement or question.