niè

孽海

Word · Noun · VerbTraditional涅

Niè (river); to dye black

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 3 examples
1.

noun

dark blue/black dye; name of an ancient river; Buddhist term for mortal world

literary

Mostly used in classical or Buddhist texts. In 'nièhǎi', it carries the Buddhist connotation of the vast, sorrowful sea of worldly existence.

Zhòng众
shēng生
chén沉
lún沦
yú于
wú无
biān边
niè涅
hǎi海
 。

All sentient beings are submerged in the boundless sea of suffering (nièhǎi).

Yuàn愿
lí离
niè涅
hǎi海
 ，
zǎo早
dēng登
bǐ彼
àn岸
 。

May we leave the sea of mortal sorrows and soon reach the other shore (enlightenment).

2.

verb

to dye black; to blacken

archaic

An archaic term for dyeing, now rarely used in modern Chinese.

Niè涅
ér而
bù不
zī缁
 。

Soaked in black dye but not turned black (a metaphor for remaining pure in a corrupt environment).