<p>about incantations / mantras / "咒", there's no confucian counterparts. meanwhile, there're numerous in taoism and buddhism. only those of taoism are native chinese, when relevant ones of buddhism are translations.</p>

<p>in taoism literatures, "<a href="http://zh.daoinfo.org/wiki/%E6%80%A5%E6%80%A5%E5%A6%82%E5%BE%8B%E4%BB%A4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">急急如律令</a>" and its deviations, are often used at the end of most mantras, that deities / daemons would follow the instructions of the speaker. here're 3 examples from 鬼谷子天髓靈文, 雲笈七籤 &amp; 太平廣記:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/le9ey.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/le9ey.png" alt="p1"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lqwYH.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lqwYH.png" alt="p2"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/mHeDq.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mHeDq.png" alt="p3"></a></p>

<p>in buddhism, the most common mantras are: <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%97%E7%84%A1%E9%98%BF%E5%BD%8C%E9%99%80%E4%BD%9B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">南無阿彌陀佛</a>, or "喃嘸阿彌陀佛", that the speakers of this mantras "would" reborn in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha" rel="nofollow noreferrer">amitābha</a> (阿彌陀佛)'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhavati" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sukhavati</a> (西方極樂世界) after death.</p>

<p>another one is 六字大明咒, "唵嘛呢叭咪吽", <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Om mani padme hum</a></p>

<p>this one is <strong>tibetan</strong> in origin, i would say this one is quite "popular" in taiwan &amp; hong kong :)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-26T10:07:47.930Z
In the TV adaptation of 《济公》, the sainted protagonist sings 唵嘛呢叭咪吽 every time he does some magic.
Wang Dingwei
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-26T03:16:19.127Z
2016-08-26T03:16:19.127Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>I just think of one universal Chinese incantations , that it appear on many literature and still using it. </p>

<p>It is  <h1>变 or   變 </h1> (transform, convert, conjuring). 
One can repeat it many times to emphasize it. </p>

<p>like 变! 变! 变! 变! 变!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-26T02:55:59.177Z
[Sun Wukong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Wukong) seems to like this word.
wks
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-25T16:43:41.737Z
2016-10-25T16:58:47.767Z
2016-10-25T16:58:47.767Z
mootmoot
<p>In English, for example, a common magic term is <em>Abracadabra</em>. Though the term itself may not stem from English, it is nevertheless a term most native English-speakers are aware of.</p>

<p>Are there similar incantations associated with magic, in Chinese?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-25T03:37:31.533Z
Wikipedia: 阿布拉卡达布拉,芝麻开门 (Open Sesame)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-25T03:58:02.090Z
search web using e.g. 神话中的咒语-> http://www.17k.com/chapter/27971/1166808.html (might also try 童话中...)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-25T04:17:52.320Z
In old Cantonese movies, when someone was performing magic, he often chanting 嘛哩嘛哩哄,  which seems to have nothing to do with magic, just something borrowed from sandscript (梵文) to add the mystical feel.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-25T10:24:31.353Z
This is a very broad question, are you asking for a specific term?
Alenanno
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-25T06:27:01.097Z
@TangHo It is derived from 唵嘛呢叭咪吽,  a very important phrase in Buddhism
sfy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-25T16:44:24.457Z
oh dear, why so much religious chanting?
mootmoot
<equivalent-phrase>
What are some well-known "magic" terms, phrases, or incantations in Chinese?
# What are some well-known "magic" terms, phrases, or incantations in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-25)

In English, for example, a common magic term is *Abracadabra*. Though the term itself may not stem from English, it is nevertheless a term most native English-speakers are aware of.

Are there similar incantations associated with magic, in Chinese?

**Tags:** equivalent-phrase

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Wikipedia: 阿布拉卡达布拉,芝麻开门 (Open Sesame)  
> **username_1**: search web using e.g. 神话中的咒语-> http://www.17k.com/chapter/27971/1166808.html (might also try 童话中...)  
> **username_2**: In old Cantonese movies, when someone was performing magic, he often chanting 嘛哩嘛哩哄,  which seems to have nothing to do with magic, just something borrowed from sandscript (梵文) to add the mystical feel.  
> **username_3**: This is a very broad question, are you asking for a specific term?  
> **username_4**: @TangHo It is derived from 唵嘛呢叭咪吽,  a very important phrase in Buddhism  
> **username_5**: oh dear, why so much religious chanting?  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2016-08-26. Score: 2

about incantations / mantras / "咒", there's no confucian counterparts. meanwhile, there're numerous in taoism and buddhism. only those of taoism are native chinese, when relevant ones of buddhism are translations.

in taoism literatures, "[急急如律令](http://zh.daoinfo.org/wiki/%E6%80%A5%E6%80%A5%E5%A6%82%E5%BE%8B%E4%BB%A4)" and its deviations, are often used at the end of most mantras, that deities / daemons would follow the instructions of the speaker. here're 3 examples from 鬼谷子天髓靈文, 雲笈七籤 & 太平廣記:

[![p1](https://i.sstatic.net/le9ey.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/le9ey.png)

[![p2](https://i.sstatic.net/lqwYH.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/lqwYH.png)

[![p3](https://i.sstatic.net/mHeDq.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/mHeDq.png)

in buddhism, the most common mantras are: [南無阿彌陀佛](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%97%E7%84%A1%E9%98%BF%E5%BD%8C%E9%99%80%E4%BD%9B), or "喃嘸阿彌陀佛", that the speakers of this mantras "would" reborn in [amitābha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha) (阿彌陀佛)'s [sukhavati](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhavati) (西方極樂世界) after death.

another one is 六字大明咒, "唵嘛呢叭咪吽", [Om mani padme hum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum)

this one is **tibetan** in origin, i would say this one is quite "popular" in taiwan & hong kong :)

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: In the TV adaptation of 《济公》, the sainted protagonist sings 唵嘛呢叭咪吽 every time he does some magic.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-10-25. Score: 1

I just think of one universal Chinese incantations , that it appear on many literature and still using it.

It is

# 变 or 變

(transform, convert, conjuring).
One can repeat it many times to emphasize it.

like 变! 变! 变! 变! 变!

> **Comments:**
> **username_8**: [Sun Wukong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Wukong) seems to like this word.  

---

