noun
Refers to a Buddhist priest or monk, especially in historical or traditional contexts. The term 'bonze' is an older European term for a Buddhist monk.
その法師は毎朝お経を唱える。
That Buddhist priest chants sutras every morning.
彼は法師の姿をしているが、実はただの村人だ。
He is dressed like a priest, but he is actually just a villager.
noun, used as a suffix
Noun suffix used in compounds to refer to a person, often with a nuance of a specialist or someone with a certain quality. Usually pronounced ぼうし in this usage.
「医者法師」という言葉は、医者を指す古い言い方だ。
The word 医者法師 is an old way of referring to a doctor.
Kana spelling is acceptable, especially in casual or explanatory contexts.
僧侶 is a more formal and general term for a Buddhist monk, while 法師 can have historical or specific connotations, including the layman-dressed-as-priest sense.
坊主 is a common, sometimes informal term for a Buddhist priest, and can also mean 'boy' or 'bald head'. 法師 is more neutral and less colloquial.
From Middle Chinese 法師 (pjuwᴴ srij), meaning 'master of the Dharma'. The reading ほっし is an older form. The suffix usage with the reading ぼうし is a later development.