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Hell
地獄 is the way that hell is written in modern Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
There's more than one way to express hell, but this is the one that has stood the test of time.
The first character refers to the ground or the earth.
The second character means jail or prison.
You can also translate this word as infernal, inferno, Hades, or underworld.
It should be noted that this is a somewhat terrible selection for a wall scroll. Hanging this in your home is like telling the world that your home is hell. Oddly, many people search for this on our website, so I added it for reference.
Hell / Judges of Hell
Ancient way to say Hell
yīn sī
陰司 is the ancient way to say “Hell” or “Netherworld” in Chinese.
This title can also refer to the officials of Hell or the judges of Hades or the Netherworld.
Please note that this is a somewhat terrible selection for a wall scroll. Hanging this in your home is like telling the world that your home is hell. Oddly, a lot of people search for this on my website, so I added it for reference.
Hell / Kingdom of the Underworld
yīn cáo dì fǔ
陰曹地府 can mean Hell, Hades, Kingdom of the Underworld, or the Netherworld.
When Chinese people talk about Hell, this is usually the term they use. Please note that this is a somewhat oral and informal word.
This is a really weird selection for a wall scroll, so consider this for educational purposes only.
These search terms might be related to Hell:
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Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your hell search...
| Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
地獄 地狱 see styles |
dì yù di4 yu4 ti yü jigoku じごく |
More info & calligraphy: Hell(1) {Buddh} hell realm; Naraka; (2) {Christn} Hell; (3) hell; misery; nightmare; inferno; (4) place where a volcano or hot springs constantly spew smoke or steam; (place-name) Jigoku naraka, 捺落迦 (or 那落迦) ; niraya 泥犂; explained by 不樂 joyless; 可厭 disgusting, hateful; 苦具, 苦器 means of suffering; if 地獄 earth-prison; 冥府 the shades, or departments of darkness. Earth-prison is generally intp. as hell or the hells; it may also be termed purgatory; one of the six gati or ways of transmigration. The hells are divided into three classes: I. Central, or radical, 根本地獄 consisting of (1) The eight hot hells. These were the original hells of primitive Buddhism, and are supposed to be located umder the southern continent Jambudvīpa 瞻部州, 500 yojanas below the surface. (a) 等活 or 更活 Saṃjīva, rebirth, where after many kinds of suffering a cold wind blows over the soul and returns it to this life as it was before, hence the name 等活. (b) 黑繩 Kaslasūtra, where the sufferer is bound with black chains and chopped or sawn asunder. (c) 線合; 衆合; 堆壓 Saṃghāta, where are multitudes of implements of torture, or the falling of mountains upon the sufferer. (d) 號呌; 呼呼; 叫喚 Raurava, hell of wailing. (e) 大呌; 大號呌; 大呼 Mahāraurava, hell of great wailing. (f) 炎熱; 燒炙 Tapana, hell of fames and burning. (g) 大熱; 大燒炙; 大炎熱 Pratāpana, hell of molten lead. (h) 無間; 河鼻旨; 阿惟越致; 阿毗至; 阿鼻; 阿毗 Avīci, unintermitted suffering, where sinners die and are reborn to suffer without interval. (2) The eight cold hells 八寒地獄. (a) 頞浮陀地獄 Arbuda, where the cold causes blisters. (b) 尼刺部陀 Nirarbuda, colder still causing the blisters to burst. (c) 頞哳吒; 阿吒吒 Atata, where this is the only possible sound from frozen lips. (d) 臛臛婆; 阿波波 Hahava or Apapa, where it is so cold that only this sound can be uttered. (e) 虎虎婆 Hāhādhara or Huhuva, where only this sound can be uttered. (f) 嗢鉢羅; 鬱鉢羅 (or 優鉢羅) Utpala, or 尼羅鳥 (or 漚) 鉢羅 Nīlotpala, where the skin is frozen like blue lotus buds. (g) 鉢特摩 Padma, where the skin is frozen and bursts open like red lotus buds. (h) 摩訶鉢特摩 Mahāpadma, ditto like great red lotus buds. Somewhat different names are also given. Cf. 倶舍論 8; 智度論 16; 涅槃經 11. II. The secondary hells are called 近邊地獄 adjacent hells or 十六遊增 each of its four sides, opening from each such door are four adjacent hells, in all sixteen; thus with the original eight there are 136. A list of eighteen hells is given in the 十八泥梨經. III. A third class is called the 孤地獄 (獨地獄) Lokāntarika, or isolated hells in mountains, deserts, below the earth and above it. Eitel says in regard to the eight hot hells that they range 'one beneath the other in tiers which begin at a depth of 11,900 yojanas and reach to a depth of 40,000 yojanas'. The cold hells are under 'the two Tchahavālas and range shaft-like one below the other, but so that this shaft is gradually widening to the fourth hell and then narrowing itself again so that the first and last hell have the shortest, those in the centre the longest diameter'. 'Every universe has the same number of hells, ' but 'the northern continent has no hell whatever, the two continents east and west of Meru have only small Lokāntarika hells... whilst all the other hells are required for the inhabitants of the southern continent '. It may be noted that the purpose of these hells is definitely punitive, as well as purgatorial. Yama is the judge and ruler, assisted by eighteen officers and a host of demons, who order or administer the various degrees of torture. 'His sister performs the same duties with regard to female criminals, ' and it may be mentioned that the Chinese have added the 血盆池 Lake of the bloody bath, or 'placenta tank' for women who die in childbirth. Release from the hells is in the power of the monks by tantric means. |
火狗 see styles |
huǒ gǒu huo3 gou3 huo kou kaku |
More info & calligraphy: Fire Dog |
陰司 阴司 see styles |
yīn sī yin1 si1 yin ssu |
More info & calligraphy: Hell / Judges of Hell |
觀世音 观世音 see styles |
guān shì yīn guan1 shi4 yin1 kuan shih yin Kanzeon かんぜおん |
More info & calligraphy: Guan Shi Yin: Protector Of Life(out-dated kanji) Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; Kwannon; Guanyin; Buddhist deity of compassion Regarder of the world's sounds, or cries, the so-called Goddess of Mercy; also known as 觀音; 觀世音善薩; 觀自在 (觀世自在); 觀尹; 光世音 (the last being the older form). Avalokiteśvara, v. 阿 8. Originally represented as a male, the images are now generally those of a female figure. The meaning of the term is in doubt; it is intp. as above, but the term 觀自在 (觀世自在) accords with the idea of Sovereign Regarder and is not associated with sounds or cries. Guanyin is one of the triad of Amida, is represented on his left, and is also represented as crowned with Amida; but there are as many as thirty-three different forms of Guanyin, sometimes with a bird, a vase, a willow wand, a pearl, a 'thousand' eyes and hands, etc., and, when as bestower of children, carrying a child. The island of Putuo (Potala) is the chief centre of Guanyin worship, where she is the protector of all in distress, especially of those who go to sea. There are many sūtras, etc., devoted to the cult, but its provenance and the date of its introduction to China are still in doubt. Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sūtra is devoted to Guanyin, and is the principal scripture of the cult; its date is uncertain. Guanyin is sometimes confounded with Amitābha and Maitreya. She is said to be the daughter of king Śubhavyūha 妙莊王, who had her killed by 'stifling because the sword of the executioner broke without hurting her. Her spirit went to hell; but hell changed into paradise. Yama sent her back to life to save his hell, when she was miraculously transported on a Lotus flower to the island of Poo-too'. Eitel. |
七趣 see styles |
qī qù qi1 qu4 ch`i ch`ü chi chü shichishu |
The seven gati or states of sentient beings- nārakagati, in hell; preta, hungry ghost; tiryagyoni, animal; manuṣya, man; ṛṣi, a genius or higher spiritual being; deva, god; asura, demon of the higher order. |
三塗 三涂 see styles |
sān tú san1 tu2 san t`u san tu sanzu |
The 塗 mire is interpreted by 途 a road, i.e. the three unhappy gati or ways; (a) 火塗 to the fires of hell; (b) 血塗 to the hell of blood, where as animals they devour each other; (c) 刀塗 the asipattra hell of swords, where the leaves and grasses are sharp-edged swords. Cf. 三惡趣. |
三小 see styles |
sān xiǎo san1 xiao3 san hsiao mitsushou / mitsusho みつしょう |
(Tw) (vulgar) what the hell? (from Taiwanese 啥潲, Tai-lo pr. [siánn-siâ], equivalent to Mandarin 什麼|什么[shen2 me5]) (surname) Mitsushou |
三悪 see styles |
sanaku; sannaku; sanmaku さんあく; さんなく; さんまく |
(1) (abbreviation) {Buddh} (See 三悪道・さんあくどう) the world of hungry spirits and the world of animals; three evil worlds hell; (2) (さんあく only) three evils (prostitution, drugs and venereal diseases) |
三逆 see styles |
sān nì san1 ni4 san ni sangyaku |
The three unpardonable sins of Devadatta, which sent him to the Avici hell— schism, stoning the Buddha to the shedding of his blood, killing a nun. |
仆街 see styles |
pū jiē pu1 jie1 p`u chieh pu chieh |
drop dead!; go to hell!; fuck you! (Cantonese) |
儘よ see styles |
mamayo ままよ |
(interjection) (kana only) whatever; never mind; I don't care; the hell with it |
冥官 see styles |
míng guān ming2 guan1 ming kuan meikan |
The rulers in Hades. |
冥府 see styles |
míng fǔ ming2 fu3 ming fu meifu / mefu めいふ |
underworld; hell (1) (See 冥土) realm of the dead; the other world; underworld; (2) hell The palace of darkness, Hades. |
冥王 see styles |
míng wáng ming2 wang2 ming wang meiou / meo めいおう |
the king of hell (1) {grmyth} (See ハデス・1) Hades (god); (2) {rommyth} (See プルートー・1) Pluto (god); (surname) Meiou |
冥界 see styles |
míng jiè ming2 jie4 ming chieh meikai / mekai めいかい |
ghost world hades; realm of the dead Hades, or the three lower forms of incarnation, i.e. hell, preta, animal. |
劍山 剑山 see styles |
jiàn shān jian4 shan1 chien shan kensan |
劍樹地獄 Asipattra. The hill of swords, or sword-leaf trees hell, one of the sixteen hells; also called 刀刃路. |
去死 see styles |
qù sǐ qu4 si3 ch`ü ssu chü ssu |
go to hell!; drop dead! |
呼呼 see styles |
hū hū hu1 hu1 hu hu koko |
(onom.) sound of the wind or the breathing of sb who is sound asleep The raurava or fourth hot hell. |
嗢鉢 嗢钵 see styles |
wà bō wa4 bo1 wa po otsuhatsu |
(嗢鉢羅) utpala, the blue lotus; the 6th cold hell. |
地府 see styles |
dì fǔ di4 fu3 ti fu |
hell; the nether world; Hades |
地藏 see styles |
dì zàng di4 zang4 ti tsang jizou / jizo じぞう |
Kṣitigarbha, the Bodhisattva of the Great Vow (to save all souls before accepting Bodhi); also translated Earth Treasury, Earth Womb, or Earth Store Bodhisattva (surname) Jizou Ti-tsang, J. Jizō, Kṣitigarbha, 乞叉底蘗沙; Earth-store, Earth-treasury, or Earthwomb. One of the group of eight Dhvani- Bodhisattvas. With hints of a feminine origin, he is now the guardian of the earth. Though associated with Yama as overlord, and with the dead and the hells, his role is that of saviour. Depicted with the alarum staff with its six rings, he is accredited with power over the hells and is devoted to the saving of all creatures between the nirvana of Śākyamuni and the advent of Maitreya the fifth century he has been especially considered as the deliverer from the hells. His central place in China is at Chiu-hua-shan, forty li south-west of Ch'ing-yang in Anhui. In Japan he is also the protector of travellers by land and his image accordingly appears on the roads; bereaved parents put stones by his images to seek his aid in relieving the labours of their dead in the task of piling stones on the banks of the Buddhist Styx; he also helps women in labour. He is described as holding a place between the gods and men on the one hand and the hells on the other for saving all in distress; some say he is an incarnation of Yama. At dawn he sits immobile on the earth 地 and meditates on the myriads of its beings 藏. When represented as a monk, it may be through the influence of a Korean monk who is considered to be his incarnation, and who came to China in 653 and died in 728 at the age of 99 after residing at Chiu-hua-shan for seventy-five years: his body, not decaying, is said to have been gilded over and became an object of worship. Many have confused 眞羅 part of Korea with 暹羅 Siam. There are other developments of Ti-tsang, such as the 六地藏 Six Ti-tsang, i. e. severally converting or transforming those in the hells, pretas, animals, asuras, men, and the devas; these six Ti-tsang have different images and symbols. Ti-tsang has also six messengers 六使者: Yama for transforming those in hell; the pearl-holder for pretas; the strong one or animals; the devīof mercy for asuras; the devī of the treasure for human beings; one who has charge of the heavens for the devas. There is also the 延命地藏 Yanming Ti-tsang, who controls length of days and who is approached, as also may be P'u-hsien, for that Purpose; his two assistants are the Supervisors of good and evil 掌善 and 掌惡. Under another form, as 勝軍地藏 Ti-tsang is chiefly associated with the esoteric cult. The benefits derived from his worship are many, some say ten, others say twenty-eight. His vows are contained in the 地藏菩薩本願經. There is also the 大乘大集地藏十電經 tr. by Xuanzang in 10 juan in the seventh century, which probably influenced the spread of the Ti-tsang cult. |
堕獄 see styles |
dagoku だごく |
going to hell; falling into hell |
墮獄 堕狱 see styles |
duò yù duo4 yu4 to yü dagoku |
fall into hell |
夜摩 see styles |
yè mó ye4 mo2 yeh mo yama |
Yama, 'originally the Aryan god of the dead, living in a heaven above the world, the regent of the South; but Brahminism transferred his abode to hell. Both views have been retained by Buddhism.' Eitel. Yama in Indian mythology is ruler over the dead and judge in the hells, is 'grim in aspect, green in colour, clothed in red, riding on a buffalo, and holding a club in one hand and noose in the other': he has two four-eyed watch-dogs. M. W. The usual form is 閻摩 q. v. |
大叫 see styles |
dà jiào da4 jiao4 ta chiao daikyō |
hell of great wailing |
夭壽 夭寿 see styles |
yāo shòu yao1 shou4 yao shou |
to die young; (Tw) (curse word) drop dead; go to hell; (literary) short life and long life |
奈利 see styles |
nài lì nai4 li4 nai li nari なり |
(given name) Nari idem 泥梨 niraya, hell. |
奈河 see styles |
nài hé nai4 he2 nai ho nagawa ながわ |
(surname) Nagawa The inevitable river in purgatory to be crossed by all. |
奈落 see styles |
nài luò nai4 luo4 nai lo naraku ならく |
(1) (Buddhist term) Naraka (san: naraka); hell; hades; (2) very bottom; the end; worst possible circumstances; (3) theatre basement; theater basement hell |
婆藪 婆薮 see styles |
pó sǒu po2 sou3 p`o sou po sou basō |
vasu 婆萸; good; rich; sweet; dry; according to Monier-Williams, eight personifications of natural phenomena; eight; the sun, etc.; father of Kṛṣṇa; intp. as the first to offer slain sacrifices to Heaven, to have been cast into hell, but after countless kalpas to have become a disciple of Buddha. Also called Vasudeva. Also name of certain devas, e.g. Viṣṇu; and other beings whom men serve, e.g. a father. |
Click here for more hell results from our dictionary
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
| Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
| Hell | 地獄 地狱 | jigoku | dì yù / di4 yu4 / di yu / diyu | ti yü / tiyü |
| Hell Judges of Hell | 陰司 阴司 | yīn sī / yin1 si1 / yin si / yinsi | yin ssu / yinssu | |
| Hell Kingdom of the Underworld | 陰曹地府 阴曹地府 | yīn cáo dì fǔ yin1 cao2 di4 fu3 yin cao di fu yincaodifu | yin ts`ao ti fu yintsaotifu yin tsao ti fu |
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| In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. | ||||
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