盂蘭盆

Etymology
Commonly thought to have been derived from, a word that was sparsely, if at all, attested.

Alternatively, (apud ) propounded that the origin was in fact 🇨🇬, a colloquial corruption of 🇨🇬, and that the etymology was mistakenly attributed to Sanskrit.

The second sense is a result of of the word as 盂蘭 +.

Noun

 * 1)  helping hungry ghosts who are suffering by offering them food
 * 2) basin for holding offerings to the deceased

Etymology
From or  (compare modern 🇨🇬 or ), a transcription of, present participle of 🇨🇬 verb.

A number of Japanese dictionaries state that this term derives from 🇨🇬, purportedly meaning “hanging upside-down” in reference to the souls of the dead being tortured in hell by being strung up by their feet. However, the 🇨🇬 word was sparsely, if at all, attested ; in addition, it would be the present participle of verb, with no inherent “upside-down” meaning.

Moreover, neither the purported meaning of “hanging upside-down” nor the verifiable meaning of “hanging” match the semantics very well, given that the urabon ceremonies are about helping the dead, closer in meaning to the “helping” sense of the 🇨🇬 verb. This suggests that explanations of the dead hanging upside-down in hell are more likely to be folk etymologies based on a mistaken connection to the 🇨🇬 verb, rather than a more direct semantic link to the 🇨🇬. Alternatively, (apud ) propounded that the origin was in fact 🇨🇬, a colloquial corruption of 🇨🇬, and that the etymology was mistakenly attributed to Sanskrit.

Noun

 * 1) a Buddhist observance honoring the spirits of ancestors

Usage notes
More commonly referred to as or.