Zen
Americannoun
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Chinese Ch'an. Buddhism. a Mahayana movement, introduced into China in the 6th century a.d. and into Japan in the 12th century, that emphasizes enlightenment for the student by means of meditation and direct, intuitive insights, accepting formal studies and observances only when they form part of such means.
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the discipline and practice of this sect.
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(lowercase) a state of meditative calm in which one uses direct, intuitive insights as a way of thinking and acting.
adjective
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of or relating to Zen Buddhism.
Zen monasteries.
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having characteristics or qualities associated with the discipline or practice of Zen Buddhism.
Fishing is a Zen hobby.
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(sometimes lowercase) relaxed and calmly accepting of a situation.
I’m usually very Zen about my investments.
noun
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a Japanese school, of 12th-century Chinese origin, teaching that contemplation of one's essential nature to the exclusion of all else is the only way of achieving pure enlightenment
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(modifier) of or relating to this school
Zen Buddhism
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Deliberately irrational statements are sometimes used in Zen to jar persons into realizing the limits of the common uses of the intellect. One well-known example is, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Zen
First recorded in 1725–30; < Japanese, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Mandarin Chinese chán “meditation, contemplation,” from Pali jhāna, from Sanskrit dhyāna, from the verb dhyāti “he meditates” (i.e., “sees mentally”), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root (and its variants) dheiə-, dhyeə-, dhyā- “to look, see.”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And Daly said there was a "monumental" amount of pressure that came with making the game following the success of Spider-Man - but as to whether the gamble paid off, he took a Zen view.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
During an interview with a Wall Street Journal reporter in 1980, he quoted from a book on Zen Buddhism and paced around his office, squeezing a wrist exerciser.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
A more Zen note was struck by a man named Peter, visiting from California, who does not like Trump but refused to let the president’s whims detract from his D.C. tour.
From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2026
On the final night of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, performing before hundreds of revelers at the center of a glowing pyramid, DJ Sara Landry reached a Zen state.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
“How am I going to get people to reflect? You need to be Zen to do that.”
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
