別べつ院いん

べ

つ

い

ん

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

branch temple

A temple that is a branch or annex of a main temple (本山 or 本院). Used in Buddhist contexts.

この別べつ院いんは京きょう都との本ほん山ざんに属ぞくしている。
This branch temple belongs to the head temple in Kyoto.

separate, branch off, diverge

院Inst., institution, temple

Similar words

本ほん山ざん
本山 is the main temple, while 別院 is a branch or affiliated temple.
本ほん院いん
本院 can also mean the main temple or headquarters, contrasting with 別院 as a branch.

Etymology

Compound of 別 (separate, branch) and 院 (temple, institution). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparent from the kanji.