‹ Back to the text
jānāti
pr 3rd sg of jānāti (verb)
- ja (adj): born (from); produced (by); made (of); caused (by)
- ja (adj): living; growing (in)
- ja (letter): (gram) letter j; 16th letter of the alphabet; palatal consonant
- jāna (adj): knowing; being aware (of); understanding
- jānanta (prp): knowing; being aware (of)
- jānaṃ (prp): knowing; understanding; being aware of
- jānaṃ (ind): knowingly; wittingly; with full knowledge
- jānāti (pr): knows; understands
- …
Built from
- jā — root · know, perceive
The root √jñā (rendered jā in Pali) carries the sense of direct recognition or becoming aware. Cognate with Sanskrit jñā, Greek gignṓskō, Latin (g)nōscō, and English know — all from the same Indo-European source.
- nāti — ending · 3rd singular present
The present-tense ending -nāti marks the 3rd person singular indicative, a thematic formation characteristic of the present system in Pali.
Analysis. jānaṃ + iti
Etymology. From the Indo-European root *ǵn(e)h₃- 'to know', which also produced Sanskrit jānāti, Greek gignṓskō (γιγνώσκω), Latin (g)nōscō, and English know. The present stem jāna- is built on the perfect participle of an older aorist.