僧そう

そ

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to a Buddhist monk or priest in general. Used in both formal and everyday contexts.

sangha; Buddhist community

abbreviation

Abbreviation of 僧伽 (そうぎゃ). Used in Buddhist contexts to refer to the community of monks or the monastic order.

〈人ひと〉が僧そうになるfor someone to become a monk
彼かれは若わかい頃ころに僧そうになった。
He became a monk when he was young.
僧そうとして〈動どう詞し〉to do something in one's capacity as a monk
彼かれは僧そうとして多おおくの人ひと々びとを助たすけてきた。
As a monk, he has helped many people.
僧そうが経きょうを読よむfor a monk to chant/recite a sutra
境けい内だいで僧そうが経きょうを読よんでいた。
A monk was reciting a sutra in the temple grounds.

僧そう侶りょN1sense 1
僧侶 is the more formal, ceremonial term for a Buddhist monk, while 僧 is a slightly more general or literary word for the same person.
坊ぼう主ずN1sense 1
坊主 is a casual, sometimes mildly derogatory word for a monk (also used for a shaven-headed boy), whereas 僧 is neutral and can be formal.
坊ぼう
僧 is the formal, written-style word for a Buddhist monk, whereas 坊 is an informal or archaic term rarely used alone in modern speech.
和お尚しょう
僧 is the plain, generic word for a Buddhist monk, whereas 和尚 carries an honorific, respectful tone.

俗ぞく人じん sense 1
俗人 means a layperson living outside religious orders, the opposite of 僧, someone who has taken up monastic life.
尼に僧そう
僧 refers to a male Buddhist monk, the direct gender counterpart to the female 尼僧.
尼あま
僧 refers to a male Buddhist monk, the gender counterpart to 尼, a female Buddhist nun.

小こ僧ぞう
youngster; boy; brat · young Buddhist monk; novice monk · shop boy; errand boy; apprentice
僧そう侶りょN1
Buddhist priest; monk
尼に僧そう
Buddhist nun · Catholic nun; sister
高こう僧そう
high priest; highly ranked priest · virtuous priest; priest of great sanctity and learning
僧そう院いん
monastery; temple

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From Middle Chinese 僧 (song), itself a clipping of 僧伽 (songga), a transliteration of Sanskrit saṅgha.