Chinese

Japanese

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 剎那 ‎(*chat? na), a transliteration of Sanskrit क्षण ‎(kṣaṇa).^[1][2]

Originally a Buddhist term meaning the smallest possible moment in time: a split-second. Carries favorable connotations of precious from the Buddhist teaching that one should live well even in the shortest moment of time.

This reading is now archaic and is falling into disuse.

Pronunciation

• On'yomi: Goon
• IPA^(key): [se̞t͡ɕĩna̠]

Noun

刹那 ‎(hiragana せちな, romaji sechina)

1. see setsuna below

Etymology 2

/setina/ → /setuna/

Shift in pronunciation from sechina above, using the kan'yōon of setsu for the first kanji.^[1]

This reading is now the most common.

Pronunciation

• On'yomi
• (Tokyo) せ​つな [séꜜtsùnà] (Atamadaka - [1])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [se̞t͡sɯ̃ᵝna̠]

Noun

刹那 ‎(hiragana せつな, romaji setsuna)

1. an instant, a moment
2. (Buddhism) the smallest unit of time, of varying lengths depending on tradition:
   1. roughly 0.11 seconds, defined as 1/65^th of a 弾指 ‎(danshi), where a danshi is 1/12,000^th of a day or 7.2 seconds
   2. 0.002 seconds, defined as 1/60^th of a 念 ‎(nen), where a nen is 1/60^th of a 弾指 ‎(danshi)
   3. 1/75^th of a second, defined as 1/6,480,000^th of a day
3. (mathematics) by extension from the instant meaning, an extremely small number: 10^-18, atto-
4. (Magic: The Gathering) split second

Derived terms

Proper noun

刹那 ‎(hiragana せつな, romaji Setsuna)

1. A female given name

References

1. 1 2 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1 2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9