ni 1 · ni 2 · ni 3
as for
as for [indicates subject]. as to, is as follows, ".", as for
2. ni (for nI ) mfn. See fta-ni/ .
3. ni (in music) the 7th note (for nizaDa ).
Ni° [Sanskrit ni- and niḥ-, inseperable prefixes: (a) ni down = Avesta ni, cf. Greek νειός lowland, νείατος the lowest, hindmost; Latin nīdus (°ni-zdos: place to sit down = nest); Anglo-Saxon neol, nider = English nether; Gothic nidar = Old High German nidar; also Sanskrit nīca, nīpa etc. (b) niḥ out, probably from °seni and to Latin sine without]. Nearly all (ultimately probably all) words under this heading are compounds with the prefix ni. A. Forms. 1. Pāli ni° combines the two prefixes ni and nis (nir). They are outwardly to be distinguished inasmuch as ni is usually followed by a single consonant (except in forms where double consonant is usually restored in composition, like ni-kkhipati = ni + kṣip; nissita = ni + sri. Sometimes the double consonant is merely graphic or due to analogy, especially in words where ni- is contrasted with ud ("up"), as nikkujja < ukkujja, niggilati < uggilati, ninnamati < unnamati). On the other hand a combination with nis is subject to the rules of assimilation, viz. either doubling of consonant (nibbhoga = nir-bhoga) where vv is represented by bb (nibbiṇṇa from nir-vindati), or lengthening of ni to nī (nīyādeti as well as niyy°; nīharati = nir + har), or single consonant in the special cases of r and v (niroga besides nīroga for nirroga, cf. duratta > dūrakkha; niveṭheti = nibbeṭheti, nivāreti = *nivvāreti = nīvāreti). Before a vowel the sandhi-consonant r is restored: nir-aya, nir-upadhi etc. 2. Both ni and nis are base-prefixes only, and of stable, well-defined character, i.e. never enter combinations with other prefixes as first (modifying) components in verb-function (like saṃ, vi etc.), although nis occurs in such combination in noun compounds negating the whole term: nir-upadhi, nis-saṃsaya etc. 3. ni is frequently emphasised by saṃ as saṃni° (tud, dhā, pat, sad); nis most frequent by abhi as abhinis° (nam, pad, vatt, har). B. Meanings. 1. ni (with secondary derivations like nīca "low") is a verb-prefix only, i.e. it characterises action with respect to its direction, which is that of (a) a downward motion (opposite abhi and ud); (b) often implying the aim (= down into, onto, cf. Latin sub in subire, or prefix ad°); or (c) the reverting of an upward motion = back (identical with b); e.g. (a) ni-dhā (put down), °kkhip (throw d.), °guh (hide d.), °ci (heap up), °pad (fall d.), °sad (sit d.); (b) ni-ratta (at-tached to), °mant (speak to); °yuj (ap-point), °ved (ad-dress), °sev (be devoted to) etc.; (c) ni-vatt (turn back). 2. nis (a) as verb-prefix it denotes the directional "out" with further development to "away from, opposite, without," pointing out the finishing, completion or vanishing of an action and through the latter idea often assuming the meaning of the reverse, disappearance or contrary of an action = "un" (Latin dis-), e.g. nikkhamati (to go out from) opposite pavisati (to enter into), °ccharati (nis to car to go forth), °ddhamati (throw out), °pajjati (result from), °bbattati (vatt spring out from), nīharati (take out), nirodhati (break up, destroy). (b) as noun prefix it denotes "being without" or "not having" = English °less, e.g. niccola without clothes, °ttaṇha (without thirst), °ppurisa (without a man), °pphala (without fruit); niccala motion-less, °kkaruṇa (heartless), °ddosa (fault°), °maṃsa (flesh°), °saṃsaya (doubt°) nirattha (useless), °bbhaya (fear°). — Buddhaghosa evidently takes ni in meaning of nis only, when defining: ni-saddo abhāvaṃ dīpeti Vism 495.
[a separative particle; non-case particle sets off subject or topic]
ni ind. Mostly used as a prefix to verbs and nouns, rarely as an adverb or preposition. It is used in the following senses (according to G. M. ): 1 Lowness, downward motion (‘down’, ‘under’, ‘below’); nipat, nizad . 2 A group or collection; nikara, nikAya . 3 Intensity; nikAma, nigfhIta . 4 Command, order; nideSa . 5 Continuance, permanence; niviSate . 6 Skill; nipuRa . 7 Restraint, confinement; nibaMDa . 8 Inclusion (‘into’, ‘in’); nipItamudakaM . 9 Proximity, nearness; nikawa . 10 Insult, wrong, harm; nikfti, nikAra . 11 Showing; nidarSana . 12 Cessation; nivft . 13 Resort, refuge; nilaya . 14 Doubt. 15 Certainty. 16 Affirmation. 17 Throwing, giving &c. (according to Durgādāsa).
(prefix, prefix) down
(abbrev, abbrev) abbreviation of (Saṃyutta etc.) Nikāya
(abbrev, abbrev) abbreviation of (Sutta) Nipāta