僧そう侶りょ

そ

う

りょ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

A Buddhist priest or monk; a formal term used in religious contexts. 'Bonze' is an older, less common English equivalent.

Related words· 9

坊ぼう主ずN1
坊主 is a casual or sometimes derogatory way to refer to a Buddhist monk, while 僧侶 is the formal, respectful term.
住じゅう職しょく
住職 specifically means the head priest in charge of a temple, whereas 僧侶 is a general term for any Buddhist priest.
僧そうN1
僧 is a shorter, slightly more literary term for a Buddhist monk that overlaps closely with 僧侶 in meaning.
高こう僧そう
僧侶 is the neutral, general word for a Buddhist monk or priest, while 高僧 specifically denotes one of high rank or great spiritual attainment.

Show 5 more

尼に僧そう
僧侶 is a gender-neutral term for a Buddhist monk or priest, while 尼僧 specifically refers to a female monastic.
聖ひじり
僧侶 is the plain, general word for a Buddhist monk, while 聖 carries an archaic or reverential nuance implying exceptional virtue or solitary practice.
法ほう師し
僧侶 is the standard, formal word for a Buddhist monk, whereas 法師 carries an older or literary flavor and can also refer to a layman dressed as a priest.
坊ぼうさんN2
僧侶 is the formal, neutral word for a Buddhist priest used in news and official writing, while 坊さん is the familiar everyday word.

Don't confuse with

尼に僧そう
尼僧 shares the 僧 character with 僧侶 but specifically means a Buddhist nun, not a monk in general.
聖せい職しょく者しゃ
僧侶 means a Buddhist monk, whereas 聖職者 usually refers to Christian clergy or religious officials in a broader sense.
牧ぼく師しN1
牧師 refers to a Christian minister, whereas 僧侶 is a Buddhist monk, so they belong to entirely different religions despite both being religious leaders.