Karma in Chinese
The Chinese word for karma is 因果 (yīn guǒ). Literally “cause and fruit”: what you sow, you reap.
yīn guǒ
Karma
What 因果 means.
因 is a cause and 果 is a fruit, so 因果 is the Buddhist idea that every action bears fruit. The saying 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆 says the same: plant melons, get melons; plant beans, get beans.
- 因
- cause
- 果
- fruit, result
Simplified and traditional
因果
因果
因果 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese, so every Chinese reader recognises it.
About karma in Chinese
How do you write karma in Chinese?
Karma is 因果 in Chinese, pronounced yīn guǒ. Karma, cause and effect 因 means “cause”, 果 means “fruit, result”.
How do you pronounce 因果?
Say yīn (first tone, high and level), guǒ (third tone, dipping). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 因果 different in traditional Chinese?
No. 因果 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese.
Is 因果 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.