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.

その僧そう侶りょは毎まい朝あさお経きょうを唱となえる。
The monk chants sutras every morning.
僧そう侶りょになるには厳きびしい修しゅ行ぎょうが必ひつ要ようだ。
Becoming a Buddhist priest requires rigorous training.

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Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が僧そう侶りょになるfor someone to become a Buddhist priest
彼かれは会かい社しゃを辞やめて僧そう侶りょになった。
He quit his company job and became a Buddhist priest.
僧侶そうりょに読経どきょうしてもらうto have a priest chant a sutra
葬そう儀ぎでは僧そう侶りょに読経どきょうしてもらった。
We had a priest chant sutras at the funeral.
僧そう侶りょにお布ふ施せを渡わたすto give a monetary offering to a priest
法ほう事じの後あと、僧そう侶りょにお布ふ施せを渡わたした。
After the memorial service, we gave an offering to the priest.

Kanji

僧Buddhist priest, monk
侶companion, follower

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.

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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.
禅ぜん僧そう
僧侶 is the general term for any Buddhist priest or monk, while 禅僧 refers specifically to one of the Zen school.

Politeness

お坊ぼうさんplainN1
お坊さん is the familiar, everyday way to refer to a Buddhist priest, while 僧侶 is the formal, neutral term used in writing or official contexts.

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.

Counted with

人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).
名めいN2
More formal than 人 — used for headcounts in reservations, staff lists, and announcements (5名様).

Etymology

僧 (そう, 'monk') + 侶 (りょ, 'companion'), originally referring to a member of the Buddhist clergy. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with Buddhist priesthood.