Phrase guide

three marks of existence

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The three characteristics of all phenomena: anicca (“impermanence”), dukkha (“suffering”) and anatta (“non-self”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

Topics: Buddhism, lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of Pali tilakkhaṇa, Sanskrit त्रिलक्षण (trilakṣaṇa).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Burmese: လက္ခဏာရေးသုံးပါး (lakhka.nare:sum:pa:) — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Chinese Mandarin: 三法印 (sānfǎyìn) — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Finnish: kolme olemassaolon merkkiä — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Japanese: 三法印 (sanbōin) — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Khmer: ត្រៃលក្ខណ៍ (trailôkkhân៍) — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Korean: 삼법인 (sambeobin) — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Newar: त्रिलक्षण (trilakṣaṇa) — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Pali: tilakkhaṇa — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Spanish: tres características de la existencia — three characteristics of all phenomena
  • Thai: ไตรลักษณ์ (dtrai-lák) — three characteristics of all phenomena