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Glite Dictionary
Budai

Budai

1 9.5
A smiling, large monk in Chinese stories who brings luck
  • proper noun
  • Literature
: Budai
  • Many people believe that Budai can grant good fortune and prosperity to those who honor his image.
  • Budai the monk

Examples

  • For instance (and somewhat trivially), the "Laughing Buddha" is not a representation of the Buddha at all, but of a sort of Buddhist folk hero called Hotei-Sama in Japan and Budai or Putai in China.

    Blog text (7)

  • In Chinese folklore, Budai is often depicted as a cheerful, fat monk who brings happiness to those around him.

  • As one of the Seven Gods of Happiness, Budai symbolizes contentment and joy in East Asian culture.

Synonyms

Hotei
vsBudai
  • Literature
1 9.9

A smiling, fat, bald man in Japanese stories who brings happiness and good luck

shares the same depiction but comes from Chinese folklore rather than Japanese tradition

Surface Forms

Budai main

Etymology

The word Budai comes from Chinese parts bu ('cloth') and dai ('bag', like the English word 'bag'), so his name means 'cloth bag' and points to the monk who carries a big sack. That's why the cheerful Budai is shown as a smiling, fat monk with a belly and a bag, and why he is a symbol of good luck and happiness.