nirvana

See also: Nirvana and nirvána

English

WOTD – 21 June 2006

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) +‎ वा (vā, “to blow”), the second part cognate with Russian ве́тер (véter, “wind”), weather, vent and wind.

Pronunciation

• (India) IPA^(key): /nɪrˈvɑːn(ɑː)/
• (Received Pronunciation, General Australian) IPA^(key): /nɪəˈvɑː.nə/

  • Audio (General Australian):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /nɪɹˈvɑ.nə/, /nəɹˈvɑ.nə/, /nəɹˈvæn.ə/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːnə, -ɑːn

Noun

nirvana (countable and uncountable, plural nirvanas)

1. (Buddhism) Complete cessation of dukkha; a blissful state attained through realization of sunyata; enlightened experience.

   Synonym: nibbana

2. (non-Buddhist, colloquial) State of paradise; heightened or great pleasure or peace; a state of universal perfection and bliss.
   • 1988 February 7, Stephanie Poggi, “What's Choice Got To Do With It?”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 29, page 5:

     Welcome to this celebration of legal abortion. I wish January 22 meant more than that. The truth is that we are not winging our way to a state of nirvana for reproductive rights.

   • 2014 February 14, Bonnie Tsui, “The Self-Reflecting Pool”, in The New York Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 15 August 2021:

     Though we don’t all reach nirvana when we swim, swimming may well be that last refuge from connectivity — and, for some, the only way to find the solitary self.

   • 2026 January 24, Michael Pascoe, “America’s mighty economic power has feet of clay”, in Michael West Media‎^[2]:

     No, Virginia, the combination of Trump’s tax cuts and tariffs don’t help and, yes, when the AI investment bubble pops GDP growth will drop making the deficit/GDP ratio worse, unless you believe the tech bros hype about AI suddenly delivering universal nirvana.

Derived terms

• Beervana
• goonvana
• nerdvana
• nirvana fallacy
• nirvanic
• nirvanol
• parinirvana

Translations

Buddhism: cessation of suffering — see also enlightenment,‎ Zen

• Arabic: اَلنِّرْفَانَا f (an-nirfanā)
• Belarusian: нірва́на f (nirvána)
• Bengali: নির্বাণ (bn) (nirban)
• Burmese: နိဗ္ဗာန် (my) (nibban)
• Catalan: nirvana (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 涅槃 (nip⁶ pun⁴)

  Mandarin: 涅槃 (zh) (nièpán), 圓寂 / 圆寂 (zh) (yuánjì)

• Dutch: nirwana (nl) n
• Esperanto: nirvano
• Estonian: nirvaana
• Finnish: onni (fi), autuus (fi)
• French: nirvana (fr) m
• German: Nirvana (de) n, Nirwana (de) n
• Greek: νιρβάνα (el) (nirvána)
• Hindi: निर्वाण (hi) m (nirvāṇ)
• Hungarian: nirvána (hu)
• Ido: nirvana (io)
• Indonesian: nirwana (id)
• Irish: nirbheána m
• Japanese: 寂滅 (ja) (じゃくめつ, jakumetsu), 涅槃 (ja) (ねはん, nehan), 入滅 (ja) (にゅうめつ, nyūmetsu)
• Kalmyk: нирван (nirvan)
• Kazakh: нирвана (nirvana)
• Khmer: និព្វាន (km) (nɨppiən)
• Korean: 열반(涅槃) (ko) (yeolban), 니르바나 (nireubana), 해탈 (haetal), 적멸(寂滅) (ko) (jeongmyeol)
• Lao: ນິພານ (ni phān)
• Latin: nirvāna
• Latvian: nirvāna f
• Lithuanian: nirvana f
• Malay: nirwana (ms)
• Mon: နိဗ္ဗာန် (nibbān), နိပ်ဗါန် (nip bān) (Pak Kret District)
• Mongolian: ᠭᠠᠰᠠᠯᠠᠩ
  ᠠᠴᠠ
  ᠨᠥᠭᠴᠢᠭᠰᠡᠨ (ɣasalang ača nöɣčiɣsen)
• Pali: nibbāna
• Polish: nirwana (pl) f
• Portuguese: nirvana (pt) m
• Russian: нирва́на (ru) f (nirvána)
• Sanskrit: निर्वाण (sa) (nirvāṇa)
• Shan: ၼိၵ်ႈပၢၼ်ႇ (nīk pàan)
• Sinhala: නිවන (si) (niwana), නිර්වාණ (nirwāṇa)
• Spanish: nirvana (es) m
• Thai: นิพพาน (th) (níp-paan)
• Tibetan: མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ (mya ngan las 'das pa), མྱང་འདས (myang 'das)
• Ukrainian: нірва́на f (nirvána)
• Urdu: نروان m (nirvāṇ)
• Vietnamese: niết bàn (vi) (涅槃), vô vi (無為), tự tại (vi) (自在), an lạc (vi) (安樂)

state of bliss

• Arabic: اَلنِّرْفَانَا f (an-nirfanā)
• Bengali: নির্বাণ (bn) (nirban)
• Burmese: နိဗ္ဗာန် (my) (nibban)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 涅槃 (zh) (nièpán), 入寂 (zh) (rùjì)

• Czech: nirvána (cs) f
• Dutch: nirwana (nl) n
• Esperanto: nirvano
• Estonian: nirvaana
• Finnish: nirvana
• French: nirvana (fr) m
• German: Nirvana (de) n, Nirwana (de) n
• Greek: νιρβάνα (el) f (nirvána)
• Hindi: निर्वाण (hi) m (nirvāṇ)
• Hungarian: nirvána (hu)
• Ido: nirvana (io)
• Irish: nirbheána m
• Japanese: 入寂 (ja) (にゅうじゃく, nyūjaku), 涅槃 (ja) (ねはん, nehan)
• Kalmyk: нирван (nirvan)
• Kannada: ನಿರ್ವಾಣ (kn) (nirvāṇa)
• Korean: 열반(涅槃) (ko) (yeolban), 니르바나 (nireubana), 해탈 (haetal)
• Malay: nirwana (ms)
• Polish: nirwana (pl) f
• Portuguese: nirvana (pt) m
• Russian: нирва́на (ru) f (nirvána)
• Sanskrit: निर्वाण (sa) (nirvāṇa)
• Sinhalese: නිර්වාණ (nirwāṇa)
• Spanish: nirvana (es) m
• Swedish: nirvana (sv)
• Thai: นิพพาน (th) (níp-paan)
• Ukrainian: нірва́на f (nirvána)
• Urdu: نروان (nrvān)
• Vietnamese: niết bàn (vi) (涅槃)

Further reading

• nirvana on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Anirvan, navarin

Finnish

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) +‎ वा (vā, “to blow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnirʋɑnɑ/, [ˈnirʋɑ̝nɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -irʋɑnɑ
• Syllabification^(key): nir‧va‧na
• Hyphenation^(key): nir‧va‧na

Noun

nirvana

1. nirvana

Declension

Inflection of nirvana (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)
nominative		nirvana	nirvanat
genitive		nirvanan	nirvanoiden nirvanoitten
partitive		nirvanaa	nirvanoita
illative		nirvanaan	nirvanoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		nirvana	nirvanat
accusative	nom.	nirvana	nirvanat
	gen.	nirvanan
genitive		nirvanan	nirvanoiden nirvanoitten nirvanain rare
partitive		nirvanaa	nirvanoita
inessive		nirvanassa	nirvanoissa
elative		nirvanasta	nirvanoista
illative		nirvanaan	nirvanoihin
adessive		nirvanalla	nirvanoilla
ablative		nirvanalta	nirvanoilta
allative		nirvanalle	nirvanoille
essive		nirvanana	nirvanoina
translative		nirvanaksi	nirvanoiksi
abessive		nirvanatta	nirvanoitta
instructive		—	nirvanoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of nirvana (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative nirvanani nirvanani accusative nom. nirvanani nirvanani gen. nirvanani genitive nirvanani nirvanoideni nirvanoitteni nirvanaini rare partitive nirvanaani nirvanoitani inessive nirvanassani nirvanoissani elative nirvanastani nirvanoistani illative nirvanaani nirvanoihini adessive nirvanallani nirvanoillani ablative nirvanaltani nirvanoiltani allative nirvanalleni nirvanoilleni essive nirvananani nirvanoinani translative nirvanakseni nirvanoikseni abessive nirvanattani nirvanoittani instructive — — comitative — nirvanoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative nirvanasi nirvanasi accusative nom. nirvanasi nirvanasi gen. nirvanasi genitive nirvanasi nirvanoidesi nirvanoittesi nirvanaisi rare partitive nirvanaasi nirvanoitasi inessive nirvanassasi nirvanoissasi elative nirvanastasi nirvanoistasi illative nirvanaasi nirvanoihisi adessive nirvanallasi nirvanoillasi ablative nirvanaltasi nirvanoiltasi allative nirvanallesi nirvanoillesi essive nirvananasi nirvanoinasi translative nirvanaksesi nirvanoiksesi abessive nirvanattasi nirvanoittasi instructive — — comitative — nirvanoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative nirvanamme nirvanamme accusative nom. nirvanamme nirvanamme gen. nirvanamme genitive nirvanamme nirvanoidemme nirvanoittemme nirvanaimme rare partitive nirvanaamme nirvanoitamme inessive nirvanassamme nirvanoissamme elative nirvanastamme nirvanoistamme illative nirvanaamme nirvanoihimme adessive nirvanallamme nirvanoillamme ablative nirvanaltamme nirvanoiltamme allative nirvanallemme nirvanoillemme essive nirvananamme nirvanoinamme translative nirvanaksemme nirvanoiksemme abessive nirvanattamme nirvanoittamme instructive — — comitative — nirvanoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative nirvananne nirvananne accusative nom. nirvananne nirvananne gen. nirvananne genitive nirvananne nirvanoidenne nirvanoittenne nirvanainne rare partitive nirvanaanne nirvanoitanne inessive nirvanassanne nirvanoissanne elative nirvanastanne nirvanoistanne illative nirvanaanne nirvanoihinne adessive nirvanallanne nirvanoillanne ablative nirvanaltanne nirvanoiltanne allative nirvanallenne nirvanoillenne essive nirvanananne nirvanoinanne translative nirvanaksenne nirvanoiksenne abessive nirvanattanne nirvanoittanne instructive — — comitative — nirvanoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative nirvanansa nirvanansa accusative nom. nirvanansa nirvanansa gen. nirvanansa genitive nirvanansa nirvanoidensa nirvanoittensa nirvanainsa rare partitive nirvanaansa nirvanoitaan nirvanoitansa inessive nirvanassaan nirvanassansa nirvanoissaan nirvanoissansa elative nirvanastaan nirvanastansa nirvanoistaan nirvanoistansa illative nirvanaansa nirvanoihinsa adessive nirvanallaan nirvanallansa nirvanoillaan nirvanoillansa ablative nirvanaltaan nirvanaltansa nirvanoiltaan nirvanoiltansa allative nirvanalleen nirvanallensa nirvanoilleen nirvanoillensa essive nirvananaan nirvananansa nirvanoinaan nirvanoinansa translative nirvanakseen nirvanaksensa nirvanoikseen nirvanoiksensa abessive nirvanattaan nirvanattansa nirvanoittaan nirvanoittansa instructive — — comitative — nirvanoineen nirvanoinensa

Further reading

• “nirvana”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /niʁ.va.na/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Noun

nirvana m (plural nirvanas)

1. nirvana

Further reading

• “nirvana”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) +‎ वा (vā, “to blow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nirˈva.na/
• Rhymes: -ana
• Hyphenation: nir‧và‧na

Noun

nirvana m (invariable)

1. nirvana

Related terms

• nirvanico

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) +‎ वा (vā, “to blow”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /niʁˈvɐ̃.nɐ/ [niɦˈvɐ̃.nɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /niʁˈvɐ̃.nɐ/ [niɦˈvɐ̃.nɐ]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /niɾˈvɐ̃.nɐ/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /niʁˈvɐ̃.nɐ/
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /niɻˈvɐ̃.nɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /niʁˈvɐ.na/ [niɦˈvɐ.na]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /niɾˈvɐ.nɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /niɾˈvɐ.nɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /niɾˈba.nɐ/ [niɾˈβa.nɐ]

• Rhymes: -ɐnɐ
• Hyphenation: nir‧va‧na

Noun

nirvana m (plural nirvanas)

1. (Buddhism) nirvana (complete cessation of suffering)

Further reading

• “nirvana”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “nirvana”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French nirvana.

Noun

nirvana f (uncountable)

1. nirvana

Declension

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	nirvana	nirvanaua
genitive-dative	—	-i
vocative	—

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) +‎ वा (vā, “to blow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nirʋǎna/
• Hyphenation: nir‧va‧na

Noun

nirvàna f (Cyrillic spelling нирва̀на)

1. nirvana

Declension

Declension of nirvana

	singular	plural
nominative	nirvana	nirvane
genitive	nirvane	nirvana
dative	nirvani	nirvanama
accusative	nirvanu	nirvane
vocative	nirvano	nirvane
locative	nirvani	nirvanama
instrumental	nirvanom	nirvanama

References

• “nirvana”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) +‎ वा (vā, “to blow”). The masculine gender in Spanish seems to adapt the neuter gender of the Sanskrit original, compare mantra, yoga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /niɾˈbana/ [niɾˈβ̞a.na]
• Rhymes: -ana
• Syllabification: nir‧va‧na

Noun

nirvana m (plural nirvanas)

1. nirvana

Further reading

• “nirvana”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025