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natthi

pr 3rd sg of natthi (verb); pr 3rd pl of natthi (verb)

1. is not; it is not; there is not; there is no; there is nothing
2. does not exist; no longer exists

Built from

• na — prefix · not, without
  Plain negation without prefix function here; combines directly with the following verb. Cognate with English un-, Latin in-, Greek a(n)-.
• atthi — root · is, exists
  3rd singular present indicative of √as (to be). Cognate with Sanskrit asti, Latin esse (whence est, sum), English is, German ist.

Etymology. From na + atthi. na- is the standard negation (cognate with English un-, Greek a(n)-); atthi is the 3rd singular present of the verb "to be" (cognate with Latin esse, Sanskrit asti, English is). The negative copula natthi is thus a contraction of na + atthi, meaning literally "not is." Used throughout the canon to express non-existence and in the philosophical denial of the self (attavāda).

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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