尼
Meanings
Buddhist nun
Specifically a female Buddhist monastic; the male equivalent is 僧 (そう).
She became a Buddhist nun at a young age and trained at a temple.
Catholic nun; sister
Used for Christian nuns; context distinguishes from the Buddhist sense.
The nuns were offering prayers at the convent.
Derogatory and dated; usually written in katakana as アマ. Strongly offensive.
That bitch lied again, didn't she?
Amagasaki
Slang abbreviation of 尼崎 (Amagasaki), a city in Hyogo Prefecture. Often written in katakana.
There's a drinking party in Amagasaki this weekend.
Internet slang for the online retailer Amazon. Typically written in katakana.
I ordered that book on Amazon.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉が尼になるfor someone to become a (Buddhist) nun
After losing her husband, she became a nun.
- 尼で買うto buy (something) on Amazon (slang)
It's cheaper to buy that book on Amazon.
- 尼として暮らすto live as a nun
She lives at the temple as a nun.