Sanskrit Case Grammar

Sanskrit cases have been rendered into Chinese through a combination of word order, particles, and context. The following case tags are used:

• nom. (kartā) — subject — marked by 者 (zhě) or 是 (shì).
• acc. (karman) — object — marked by 把 (bǎ) or 將 (jiāng).
• ins. (karaṇa) — instrument — marked by 以 (yǐ) or 用 (yòng).
• dat. (sampradāna) — recipient — marked by 為 (wèi) or 給 (gěi).
• abl. (apādāna) — source — marked by 從 (cóng) or 由 (yóu).
• gen. (sambandha) — possession — marked by 的 (de) or 之 (zhī).
• loc. (adhikaraṇa) — location — marked by 於 (yú) or 在 (zài).
• voc. (sambuddha) — address — marked by 啊 (a) or 喲 (yō).

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Function Chinese Correlate(s) Chinese Particle / Strategy Example:

Nominative kartā (agent) Subject of the verb 主語 (zhǔyǔ) 〜是 (shì) / 〜者 (zhě) rājā → 王者 (wáng zhě) — the king

Accusative karman (object) Direct object of the verb 賓語 (bīnyǔ) 把 (bǎ) / 將 (jiāng) / 〜 rājānaṃ → 王 (wáng) — (see) the king

Instrumental karaṇa (instrument) Means, instrument, or accompaniment 工具 (gōngjù) / 伴隨 (bànsuí) 以 (yǐ) / 用 (yòng) / 與 (yǔ) rājñā → 以王 (yǐ wáng) — by the king

Dative sampradāna (aim of object) Recipient, purpose, or direction 與格 (yǔgé) / 目的 (mùdì) 為 (wèi) / 於 (yú) / 給 (gěi) rājñe → 為王 (wèi wáng) — for the king

Ablative apādāna (departure) Source, cause, or separation 離格 (lígé) / 來源 (láiyuán) 從 (cóng) / 由 (yóu) / 因 (yīn) rājñāḥ → 從王 (cóng wáng) — from the king

Genitive sambandha (possession) Possession, relation, or connection 屬格 (shǔgé) / 所有 (suǒyǒu) 的 (de) / 之 (zhī) / 所 (suǒ) rājñaḥ → 王之 (wáng zhī) — of the king

Locative adhikaraṇa (location) Place, time, or context 處格 (chùgé) / 位置 (wèizhì) 於 (yú) / 在 (zài) / 中 (zhōng) rājñi → 於王 (yú wáng) — in/on the king

Vocative sambuddha (praise) Direct address 呼格 (hūgé) / 稱呼 (chēnghū) 啊 (a) / 喲 (yō) / 丨 he rājan → 啊王 (a wáng) — O king!