noun, used as a suffix
Suffix or compound-final element meaning a building, house, hut, or lodging place. It is not an everyday standalone word for a house; it appears naturally in compounds such as 駅舎, 校舎, 兵舎, and 宿舎.
古い駅舎が観光名所になっている。
The old station building has become a tourist attraction.
新しい校舎は来年完成する予定だ。
The new school building is scheduled to be completed next year.
noun
dormitory; residence hall; boarding house
Abbreviation of 寄宿舎. As a standalone noun it is limited and context-dependent, especially in school or institutional settings; 寮 is the more common everyday word for a dormitory.
See also: 寄宿舎
この学校では、寄宿舎を略して「舎」と呼ぶことがある。
At this school, the dormitory is sometimes shortened to sha.
noun
one day's march; about 12.2 km
Archaic historical term from the ancient Chinese military system, referring to the distance covered in one day's march, approximately 12.2 kilometers. Not used in ordinary modern Japanese.
古い中国の軍制では、一舎がおよそ十二キロの行程を指した。
In the old Chinese military system, one sha referred to a march of about twelve kilometers.
Full formal word for a boarding house or dormitory; 舎 can be used as its abbreviation in limited contexts.
Sino-Japanese しゃ reading of the kanji 舎, conventionally associated with lodging, a building, or a place to stay. The exact historical development of each Japanese use is not specified.