noun
Refers to a Buddhist monk or priest in general. Used in both formal and everyday contexts.
その僧は毎朝お経を唱える。
The monk chants sutras every morning.
noun
sangha; Buddhist community
Abbreviation of 僧伽 (そうぎゃ). Used in Buddhist contexts to refer to the community of monks or the monastic order.
See also:
僧は仏教の教団を指すこともある。
僧 can also refer to the Buddhist monastic community.
From Middle Chinese 僧 (song), itself a clipping of 僧伽 (songga), a transliteration of Sanskrit saṅgha.