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The Gateless Barrier
The Gateless Barrier

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Gateless Barrier
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
"What is the book?"
"According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'
It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.
A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Gateless Barrier

Chapter I

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
Line 2
"What is the book?"
Line 3
"According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'
Line 4
It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.
Line 5
A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.”

Books noun US /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading “It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.”

JOHN noun US /john/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.”

All words in this reading · 52

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

According

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

Barrier

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

book

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "What is the book?"

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

call

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

CAMBRIDGE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

characters

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

Chinese

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

Dhyana

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

especially

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

example

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

explanatory

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

Gateless

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "What is the book?"

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

Japanese

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

JOHN

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

means

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

Mu-Mon-Kwan

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

peculiarity

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

PRESS

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

pronunciation

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

S

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

sect

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

some

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

SON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

story

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

studied

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.

texts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading "What is the book?"

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading A peculiarity of some of the Dhyana texts--this (story) being a good example--is that they are not explanatory.

title

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

U

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

UNIVERSITY

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What is the book?"

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading "According to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters of the title, we call it _Mu-Mon-Kwan_, which means 'The Gateless Barrier.'

WILSON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading UNIVERSITY PRESS JOHN WILSON AND SON CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

Zen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is one of the books especially studied by the Zen sect, or the sect of Dhyana.