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Kotomora

寺

Buddhist temple

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes6

Readings

On'yomi

  • ジ

Kun'yomi

  • てら

Meaning

寺 centers on a Buddhist temple, a place of worship and religious practice.

Most common words using 寺

20 of 92
  • 寺てら
    N5

    temple (Buddhist)

  • 寺院じいん
    N2

    Buddhist temple

  • お寺おてら

    temple

  • 国分寺こくぶんじ

    state-supported provincial temple (Nara period)

  • 神宮寺じんぐうじ

    Buddhist temple within a Shinto shrine; temple attached to a shrine

  • 山寺やまでら

    mountain temple

  • 寺社じしゃ

    temples and shrines

  • 寺内じない

    inside a temple

  • 金閣寺きんかくじ

    Kinkakuji (temple in Kyoto); Golden Pavilion

  • 宮寺ぐうじ

    Buddhist temple within a Shinto shrine

  • 寺子屋てらこや

    temple elementary school (Edo period)

  • 菩提寺ぼだいじ

    one's family temple; temple with one's family grave

  • 社寺しゃじ

    shrines and temples

  • 少林寺拳法しょうりんじけんぽう

    Shorinji Kempo (modern Japanese martial art based on Shaolin kung fu)

  • 古寺こじ

    old temple

  • 廃寺はいじ

    ruined temple; abandoned temple; temple ruins

  • 尼寺あまでら

    nunnery; convent

  • 末寺まつじ

    branch temple

  • 大寺だいじ

    large temple

  • 寺領じりょう

    temple's territory; temple's estate

Explore all words using 寺 →

Study

Etymology

寺 originally depicted a hand holding something, later associated with a government office or court. In Japanese, it came to specifically mean a Buddhist temple.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 土 (earth) and bottom 寸 (measurement) together suggest a measured plot of land: a temple grounds.

Reading mnemonic

For ジ, imagine a temple bell ringing with a deep 'ji' sound: ji -> ジ, echoing through the temple.