Buddhist priest, monk

About this kanji

The kanji 僧, pronounced as "sō," primarily means a Buddhist priest or monk. It is typically used as a noun. You might encounter several compounds, such as 小僧 (こぞう), meaning youngster, and 僧侶 (そうりょ), which refers to a priest. Another compound is 尼僧 (にそう), meaning Buddhist nun. This kanji evokes the image of someone devoted to religious life, emphasizing both education and spiritual practice in Buddhism. Remember, while it primarily refers to male monks, there are compounds that include women, highlighting the diverse roles within the Buddhist community.

Example sentences

• 僧侶が寺で祈りを捧げる。

  The monk offers a prayer in the temple.

Meanings across languages

English

Buddhist priest, monk

Tiếng Việt

thầy tu, tu sĩ

日本語

僧侶, お坊さん

한국어

승려, 스님

中文

僧侣, 和尚

id

pastor Budha

th

พระภิกษุ

es

sacerdote budista

fr

prêtre bouddhiste

de

Buddhistischer Priester

pt

sacerdote budista

Common compounds

• 小僧こぞうyoungster, boy, kid
• 僧侶そうりょpriest, monk, bonze
• 尼僧にそうBuddhist nun, Catholic nun, sister
• 高僧こうそうhigh priest, highly ranked priest, virtuous priest
• 禅僧ぜんそうZen priest
• 僧堂そうどうtemple meditation hall or certain other temple structures
• 僧院そういんmonastery, temple
• 僧籍そうせきpriesthood registry

Words using this kanji