Etymology

From พระเจ้า ‎(prá-jâao, “Buddha; high god; monarch, royal person”, literally “divine lord”) +‎ อยู่ ‎(yùu, “to be at, in, on, etc; to remain, to stay; etc”) +‎ หัว ‎(hǔua, “head”); literally (a) "divine lord above [all/our] heads", (b) "divine lord at [our] heads", (c) "[one with] divine lord at head", etc.

(c) is probably in connection with the traditional belief that a future Buddha has a Buddha figure upon his/her head. See the following photos for further information:

• 

  A 7th-century Cambodian sandstone sculpture of Avalokiteśvara the future buddha, with a buddha figure on his head.

• 

  A 13th-century Cambodian sculpture of Avalokiteśvara the future buddha, with a buddha figure on his head.

• 

  A Goguryeo Korean sculpture of Avalokiteśvara the future buddha, with a buddha figure on his head.

• 

  A Song Chinese sculpture of Avalokiteśvara the future buddha, with a buddha figure on his head.

Pronunciation