bo1 je5般若
Jyutpingbo1 je5
Yalebō yéh
Definition
Prajna; Buddhist term meaning wisdom or deep understanding.
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How it's used
Pronounced as bo1 je3 in Cantonese, this term is exclusively used within Buddhist contexts to refer to transcendental wisdom. It is never used in everyday speech to describe general intelligence or cleverness. You will most commonly encounter it in the titles of scriptures or during religious discussions.
Examples
Practitioners need to seek prajna wisdom.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the pronunciation with the Mandarin reading bo1 re3, as the Cantonese reading is specific to the religious context. Using it to describe a smart person in a casual conversation will sound extremely unnatural or confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
