居士
こ
じ
Meanings
1
Buddhist layman; grhapati
Buddhist term for a male lay devotee; also used as a posthumous suffix for lay practitioners. Compare 大姉 (だいし) for women.
See also: 大姉 (だいし)
He is a devout lay Buddhist and chants sutras every morning.
The title 居士 is sometimes added to a posthumous Buddhist name.
2
private scholar; independent researcher
Refers to a scholar not affiliated with an official institution; somewhat dated, often used in historical or literary contexts.
During the Edo period, many private scholars published their own research.