also: かんしゅ
chief abbot (of a Buddhist temple)
Refers to the head priest or abbot of a Buddhist temple, especially in certain sects. The reading かんじゅ is standard; かんしゅ is less common.
The chief abbot of that temple begins chanting sutras early every morning.
貫主様にお会いできるのは光栄です。
It is an honor to meet the chief abbot.
Standard kanji form for the chief abbot of a Buddhist temple.
Alternate reading; rarely used.
Variant kanji form; less common but still used.
Alternate reading with variant kanji; rarely used.
A Buddhist title also written 貫首, denoting the chief abbot or head of a temple. The spelling 貫主 is a variant used for the same title.