Compound Nouns (Samāsa)

Considering the meaning, combination or conflation of two or more nouns or

substantives is called compound nouns. Interconnectedness of the meaning between words,
that are to be joined as confederated nouns, should be for the grammatical function.
(Nāmānam samāso uttattho) Abridgement or shortness of the words is one of the retribution
of compound nouns. (Samāsopada sankhepo) Thus, two or more words are connected as one
word and the aggregated word can be pronounced as one unite. As a result of aggregation, the
different cases of separated nouns are become one case termination. (Ekapadatā samyuttā -
ekoccāranatāyutam, Ekavibhattitā uttam - samāse lakkhanattayam) The case endings or case
inflections are elided before the formation of compound nouns and the case gender and
number of the last word are represented the whole noun but, not in every circumstance. After
elision of the case inflections, the grammatical function occurs within noun stems and
subsequently, aggregated nouns should be written as one word.
jale jātehi ca thale jātehi ca pupphehi
(compound gloss)
jala + ja + thala + ja + pupphehi
(Elision of the case inflections and copulative particles)
jalajatalajapupphehi
(compound noun)
According to the traditional Pali grammar, stand with the particular characteristics of the
words, which are to be combined, six folds of classification can be seen in compound nouns.
1. Kammadhāra (adjectival compound)
2. Digu (numeral compound)
3. Tappurisa (dependent determinative compound)
4. Abyayībhāva (adverbial or Indeclinable compound)
5. Dvanda (copulative or aggregative compound)
6. Bahubbīhi (attributive or felative compound)
Except these six folds, limited additional varieties on compounds are denoted by the
grammarians.
1. Saddasamasana (sound compound)
2. Atthasamasana (meaning compound) (Duvidhañcassa samasanam : sadda
samasanañca atthasamasanañca

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 Before the formation of compounds, initially, the case endings are elided, but, in certain
places it is not practices.
1. Case elisded compounds
rañño putto - rājaputto (the sun of the king)
sītam unham - sītuṇaṃ (cold and hot)

2. Non - elisded
parassa padaṃ - parassapadaṃ (active termination)
urasi lomo - urasilomo (the person who has loam in the chest)
Six folds, mentioned above can particularly be divided into two parts as follows.
1. Tulyādhikarana
2. Bhinnādhikaraṇa
When the words joined together as one word, and its gender, case and number are the
same, it is called tulyādhikaraṇa. The word adhikaraṇa is a synonym that commonly used for
aforementioned three parts. If these three parts of the words are similar, it is called
tulyādhikaraṇa and when they are dissimilar, then, it is called bhinnaādhikaraṇa.
compound gloss Kaṇho Sappo
Case Nominative Nominative
Number Singular Singular
Gender Masculine Masculine
As mentioned above, the gender, case and number are similar with to other. The word
kaṇha is an adjective and it represents masculine gender, nominative case and singular
number, so does the second part sappa. So, this type of compound nouns can be denoted as
tulyādhikaraṇa. In a few places, if aforementioned features are dissimilar, it is called
bhinnaādhikaraṇa.

01. Kammadhāra (Descriptive/Adjectival Compound)

Joining or combination of two or more words, specially, an adjective and substantive
that similar in gender, case and numbers is called kammadhāra compound. (Dvipade
tulyādhikaraṇe kammadhārayo) The first and second parts or more words that going to be
connected would be in same case, gender and number are the predominated characteristics of
this compound. According to their features, the kammadhāra compound is divided into nine
classes as follows;

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 i. Visesaṇapubbapada (Preceding an adjective)
nīlam ca taṃ uppalaṃ
nīla + uppalaṃ
nīluppalaṃ (blue lotus)

mahantaṃ + bhayaṃ
maha + bhayaṃ
mahabhayaṃ (great fear)
More examples :
mahanto puriso - mahāpuriso
Seto hatthi - setahatthi
brāhmaṇī dārika - brāhmaṇdārikā
mahantī paṭhavi - mahāpaṭhavī
vīro puriso - vīrapuriso
ii. Visesaṇaparapada (Succeeding and adjective)
naro ca so seṭṭho ca - naraseṭṭho (Great man)
ciñcā ca sā mānavikā – ciñcamānavikā (Young ciñcā)
More examples :
vidhuro ca so paṇḍito - vidurapaṇḍito
dhammapālo ca so ācariyo - dhammapālācariyo
buddhaghoso ca so thero – buddhaghosathero
iii. Visesaṇobhayapada (Both are adjectives)
uccaṃ ca avacaṃ ca
ucca + avacaṃ
uccāvacaṃ (up and down)
andho ca so badhiro
andha + badhira
andhabadhiro (Blind and deaf)
More examples :
sītaṃ ca taṃ uṇhaṃ ca - sītuṇhaṃ
chinnaṃ ca taṃ bhinnaṃ ca - chinnabhinnaṃ
khaṃjo ca so khujjo ca – khañjakhujjo

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 iv. Upamā uttarapada (Preceding a simile or comparison as first part)
The particle 'viya' which is normally used in the sense of comparison, is generally
used between two terms to express the analogy or comparison.
sīho viya muni – munisīho (lion sage)
ādicco viya buddho – buddhādicco (The Buddha like sun)
More examples :
nāgo viya buddho - buddhanāgo
candaṃ viya mukhaṃ - mukhacandaṃ
raṃsi viya saddhammo - saddhammaraṃsi
v. Sambhāvanā pubbapada (Preceding which indicate the sense of
distinction)
anicca iti saññā – aniccasaññā (The consciousness namely impermanence)
dhammo iti buddhi – dhammabuddhi (Knowledge in dhamma)
More examples :
attā iti diṭṭhi - attadiṭṭhi
dhātu iti saññā - dhātusañña
pāṇo iti saññā - pāṇasaññā
vi. Avadhāraṇapubbapada (Objectivism of the first part)
avijjā eve malaṃ - avijjāmalaṃ (the stain of ignorance)
paññā eva pajjoto – paññāpajjoto (the light of the wisdom)
More examples :
sīlaṃ eva dhanaṃ - sīladhanaṃ
paññā eva satthaṃ - paññāsatthaṃ
cakkhu eva indriyaṃ - cakkhundriyaṃ
vii. Ku nipātapubbapada (Preceding part is ku)
ku putto - kuputto (bad son)
ku dāsā - kudāsā (bed slaves)
More examples :
ku puriso - kāpuriso
ku lavaṇaṃ - kālavaṇaṃ
ku dārā - kudārā
viii. Na nipātapuddapada (Preceding part is na)
na ariyo - anariyo (Ignoble)
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 na attakāmo - anattakāmo (Not wishing the welfare)
More examples :
na ūmi - anūmi
na suro - asuro
na kesā - akesā
na udāra - anudāra
ix. Pādi pubbapada (Preceding part is pā or pa)
padhānaṃ vacanaṃ
pa vacanaṃ - pāvacanaṃ (the Buddha's word)
pa mukho - pamukho (chief / In front of

02. Digu (Numeral Compound)

The characteristics of kammadhāra compound can also be seen in digu or numeral
compound. But, the first part or component of this compound must be cardinal numeral.
(Saṅkhyā pubbo digūti kammadhārassa digu saññā) In certain circumstances, after
grammatical function, the gender of the compound noun may be changed into neuters of the
words, it is categorized into two types as follows.
i. Samāhāra Digu (Collective Digu)
After formation of the compound nouns, if the aggregated noun is in plural, then it
changes into singular and the termination of the compound is changed into neutral gender.
(Digussa samāsassa ekattaṃ hoti napuṃsakalingatthaṃ)
tayo daṇḍā samāhaṭā - tidaṇḍaṃ (Three castigations)
cattāri saccāni samāhaṭāni - catusaccaṃ (Four truths)
tayo lokā samāhaṭā - tilokaṃ (Three worlds)
More examples :
catasso disā - catuddisā
Sattāni ahani - sattāhaṃ
pañcannaṃ sikkhāpadānaṃ samāhaṭā - pañcasikkhaṃ
ii. Asamāhāra Digu (Individual Digu)
For the most part, the asamāhāra digu is applied in both numbers singular and plural
and also the gender of the individual compounds is decided according to the gender of the
final word.
tayo bhavā - tibhavā (The three states of existence)

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 catasso disā – catuddisā (The four direction)
eko ca so puggalo - ekapuggalo (The one person)
More examples :
eko ca so dhammo - ekadhammo
Pañcāni indriyāni - pañcindriyaṃ
dasa sahassāni cakkavājāni - dasasahassacakkavājāni

03. Tappurisa (Dependent / determinative Compound)]

Here, the first component is a substantive word which was declined in any case beside
both the nominative and vocative cases. (Amādayo parapadehi, dutiyantādayo parapadehi
nāmehi yadā samāsyante tadā so samāso tappuriso nāma) Considering the case endings of
the first component, there are six - fold of categories of tappurisa illustrated y the traditional
grammarians. Generally, the tappurisa compounds follow the gender of the last member or
component.
I. Dutiyā tappurisa (Tappurisa with accusative case)
The first substantive of this compound is in accusative case and it is called accusative
tappurisa. The definitions of the other five groups are also defined in the same way.
gāmaṃ gato - gāmagato (gone to the village)
saccaṃ vādī - saccavādī (speaking the truth)
sakhaṃ patto - sukhappatto (attained to happiness)
More examples :
mātaraṃ posako - mātuposaka
dhammaṃ dharo - dhammadharo
pamāṇaṃ atikkanto - pamāṇatikkanto
II. Tatiyā tappurisa (Tappurisa with instrumental case)
buddhena desito – buddhadesito (Preached by the buddha)
sukehi āhaṭaṃ - sukāhaṭaṃ (Brought by parrots)
jātiyā andho – jaccando (Blind by birth)
More examples :
satthārā vaṇṇito - satthuvaṇṇito
rogena pīlito - rogapīlito
rañña hato - rājahato
III. Catutthi tappurisa (Tappurisa with dative case)

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 kaṭhinassa dussaṃ - kaṭhinadussaṃ (cloth for the kaṭhina)
saṅghassa battaṃ - saṃghabattaṃ (rise for the monks)
rañño arahaṃ - rājārahaṃ (worthy to the king)
More examples :
cīvarassa mūlyaṃ - cīvaramūlyaṃ
lokassa hito - lokahito
yāguyā taṇḍulaṃ - yāgutaṇḍulaṃ
IV. Pañcamī tappurisa (Tappurisa with ablative case)
nagaramhā niggato – nagaraniggato (gone out from by city)
rukkamhā patito – rukkhapatito (fallen down from the tree)
sāsanamhā cuto – sāsanacuto (gone away from the dispention)
More examples :
kammanā samuṭṭhitaṃ - kammasamuṭṭhitaṃ
methunasmā apeto - methunāpeto
aggito bhayaṃ - aggibhayaṃ
V. Chaṭṭhi tappurisa (Tappurisa with genitive case)
rañño putto – rājaputto (The son of the king)
narānaṃ uttamo – naruttamo (The greatest of the men)
nadiyā tīraṃ - nadītīraṃ (The bank of the river)
More examples :
Buddhassa sāvakā - Buddhasāvakā
rukkhassa mūlaṃ - rukkhamūlaṃ
devānaṃ rājā - devarājā
VI. Sattamī tappurisa (Tappurisa with locative case)
araññe vāso – araññavāso (living in the forest)
vane caro – vanacaro (walking in the forest)
dhammerato – dhammarato (agglutinated in the dhamma)
More examples :
rūpe sañña - rūpasañña
kūpe maṇḍuko - kūpamaṇḍuko
itthiyā dhutto - itthidutto
VII. Alutta tappurisa (Non elided)

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 Occasionally, in tappurisa compounds, the case endings or the case terminations are
not elided but after formation the compound nouns are written as one unit. It is called alutta
tapprisa.
pabhaṃ karo - pabhaṅkaro (the son)
parassa padaṃ - parassapadaṃ (word for another)
ante vāsiko - antevāsiko (a resident pupil)
More examples :
paṅke ruhaṃ - paṅkeruhaṃ
attaṃ tapo - attaṃtapo
mansi kāro - manasikāro

04. Abyayībhāva (Indeclinable or Adverbial Compound)

The first part of the adverbial compound should come with a prefix or and
indeclinable word. (Upasagganipātapubbako abyayībhāvo) The second part is already
related to the first and it should be represented one of the seven cases (from nominative to
locative.)
rathassa paccā - anurathaṃ (near the town)
vātassa paṭi - paṭivātaṃ (behind the chariot)
pabbatassa tirobhāgaṃ - tiropabbataṃ (across the mountain)
mañcasa heṭṭhā - heṭṭhamañcaṃ (under the bed)
gharaṃ gharaṃ pati - anugharaṃ (house after house)
balaṃ anatikkamma - yathābalaṃ (according to the power)
pāsādassa antā - antopāsādaṃ (inside the place)
pāsādassa upari - uparipāsādaṃ (upon the mansion)
vadhuyā samīpaṃ - upavadhū (near to the wife)

05. Dvanda (Copulative of aggregative Compound)

In this compound, two or more members or components that have been declined in
the same cases and combined or joined each other by the particle which indicate the
copulative sense are compounded into one unit or word. (Nāmānaṃ samuccayo dvando)
Generally, after formation, the compound nouns are in plural and take the gender of its last
compound. It is divided into two parts as follows.
1. Samāhāra dvanda (Collective dvanda)

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 In the collective dvanda, whatever numbers and gender of the separated components,
it usually takes the neutral gender and singular number. After formation of the compound, the
copulative particles are elided. But, in certain circumstances, the above-mentioned rule is
anomalously changed and assume the form of plural.
cakkhuṃ ca sotaṃ ca - cakkhusotaṃ (Eye and ear)
mukhaṃ ca nāsikā ca - mukhanāsikaṃ (Mouth and nose)
chavī ca maṃsaṃ ca lohitaṃ ca - chavimaṃsalohitaṃ (Skin flesh and blood)
More examples :
pubbā ca aparā ca - pubbāparaṃ
dhanuṃ ca kalāpaṃ ca - dhanukalāpaṃ
phālo ca pācanaṃ ca - phālipācanaṃ
2. Anomalous Dvanda :
kusalaṃ ca akusalaṃ ca - kusalākusalaṃ / kusalākusalāni (merit and demerit)
bakā ca balākā ca - bakabalākaṃ / bakabalākā (cranes and grues)
3. Asamāhāra or Itarītarayoga dvanda (Individual dvanda)
In this category, the compound nouns are in plural and it always takes the gender of
the last component.
candimā ca suriyā ca – candimasuriyā (the sun moon)
devā ca manussā ca devamanussā (the gods and men)
samaṇā ca brāhmaṇā ca gahapatikā ca - samaṇabrāhmaṇagahapatikā
(ascetics brahmins and householders)
More examples :
surā ca narā ca uragā ca - suranaroragā
akkharā ca padāni ca - akkharapadāni
upāsako ca upāsikā ca – upāsakaupāsikāyo

06. Bahubbīhi (Attributive or Relative Compound)

Combination of two substantives which express the collective meaning and declined
in all cases beside nominative case to denote the perfect meaning is called bahubbīhi or
relative compound. The special characteristic of this compound nouns is the representation of
another meaning which related to the compounded nouns, after formation of the words.
(Aññapadatthesu bahubbīhi) Therefore whatever the form of this compound noun, it takes
the gender case and number of the another meaning or anew word. For the formation of this

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compound and its full meaning, some additional relative pronouns are required. Centering to
the cases, different kinds of categories can be seen in attributive compound.
1- Dutiyā bahubbīhi (Relative in the accusative case)
It indicates something related to the accusative case. Specially, the relative pronoun
should represent the accusative case.
āgatā samaṇā yaṃ so - āgatasamaṇo (where the place that the recluses were arrived)
Assamo (monastery)
rukkhaṃ ārūḷho yaṃ so - rukkhārūḷho (the tree which whom climbed into)
Naro (man)
2- Tatiyā bahubbīhi (Relative in the instrumental case)
jitāni indriyāni yena so - jitindriyo (by whom the senses have been conquered)
Buddho (the Buddha)
vijito māro yena so - vijitamāro (by whom the mara was conquered)
Bhagavā (the Buddha)
3- Catutthi bahubbīhi (Relative in the dative case)
dinno suṅko yassa so - dinnasuṅko (to whom the tax was given) Rājā (king)
upanītaṃ bhojanaṃ yassa so - upanītabhojano
(to whom the food is given) Samaṇo (monk)
4- Pañcamī bahubbīhi (Relative in the ablative case)
niggatā janā yasmā so - niggatājano (from where the people have departed)
Gāmo (village)
apagatā kāḷakā yasmā so - apagatakāḷaṃ (from which cloth the black colour has
departed) Vatthaṃ (cloth)
5- Chaṭṭhi bahubbīhi (Relative in the genitive case)
chinno hattho yassa so – chinnahattho (whose hands were cut-off) Puriso (man)
visuddho silo yassa so – visuddhasīlo (whose conduct was pure) Bhikkhu (monk)
6- Sattamī bahubbīhi (Relative in the locative case)
bahavo janā yasmiṃ so – bahujano (where many people are lived) Gāmo (village)
sampannāni sassāni yasmiṃ so - sampannasasso
(where the crops are abundant) koṭṭha ((granary)

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