also: くもみず
itinerant priest; wandering monk; mendicant
Only with reading うんすい
Specifically refers to a Zen monk who travels from temple to temple, often on a pilgrimage or seeking teaching. The term evokes the image of drifting clouds and flowing water.
In his youth, he traveled all over Japan as an itinerant priest.
clouds and water
Literal meaning of the kanji; used in poetic or descriptive contexts. The reading くもみず is rare and archaic.
In landscape painting, the depiction of clouds and water is essential.
wandering monk; itinerant monk on pilgrimage
Standard kanji form; the reading うんすい is the most common.
Rare reading for the literal 'clouds and water' sense; not used for the priest sense.
From the kanji 雲 (cloud) and 水 (water), symbolizing the free, unattached movement of a Zen monk. The reading うんすい is the standard Sino-Japanese reading.