The Japanese noun hotoke (仏) is a word of Buddhist origin and uncertain etymology. It has several meanings, all but a few directly linked to Buddhism. It can refer to:A person who has achieved satori and has therefore become a "buddha". The historical Gautama Buddha himself The statue or the name of a buddha The laws of Buddhism Figuratively, the performing of a Buddhist memorial service. The Eiga Monogatari for example contains a sentence in which the term is used in that sense. In common parlance, a dead person; someone's soul Figuratively, a benevolent person or someone dear to one's heart Hotoke can also be a person's name or a nickname. It is for example a female character in the Heike Monogatari and daimyō Kōriki Kiyonaga's nickname.