聖職者
seishokusha[se̞ːɕo̞kɯ̟̊ɕa̠]
The English phrase 'clergy' is translated into Japanese as 聖職者 (seishokusha).
聖職者 is a general, formal term used to describe religious leaders across various religions, rather than being specific to one denomination like Christianity.
Meaning: people trained to officiate at religious ceremonies and services (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 聖職者 is composed of 聖 (holy), 職 (occupation/office) and 者 (person).
Which one should you use?
While 聖職者 refers to the clergy as a class or group of people, it is also used to refer to a single member of the clergy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 聖職者 is a noun that can be used for both singular and plural contexts, as Japanese nouns do not typically change for number.
How do you pronounce it?
seishokusha
Did you know?
- In Japan, the role of the clergy is often hereditary, meaning a son can inherit the position of 聖職者 from his father, particularly in Buddhist temples.
- In Japanese pop culture, such as anime and manga, characters who are 聖職者 are often depicted as possessing secret combat skills or magical powers.
- In Japan, the term 聖職者 is often seen as a 'loanword' concept for Western-style organized religion, as Shinto priests are more commonly called 神主 (kannushi).
Examples in context
- 私はシティ教会の司教と話しました。I spoke with the bishop of the City Church.
- 彼は聖職者の道を志しています。Kare wa seishokusha no michi o kokorozashite imasu.He aspires to become a member of the clergy.
- 聖職者は高い倫理観が求められます。Seishokusha wa takai rinrikan ga motomeraremasu.Members of the clergy are expected to have high ethics.
- その街には多くの聖職者が住んでいます。Sono machi ni wa ooku no seishokusha ga sunde imasu.Many members of the clergy live in that town.
Example conversation
Two university students are discussing a history lecture in a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himari今日の歴史の講義は難しかったね。Kyou no rekishi no kougi wa muzukashikatta ne.Today's history lecture was difficult, wasn't it?
- 蓮 Renうん、特に聖職者の役割についての話が。Un, tokuni seishokusha no yakuwari ni tsuite no hanashi ga.Yeah, especially the part about the role of the clergy.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんは、聖職者の歴史に興味があるの？Ren-san wa, seishokusha no rekishi ni kyoumi ga aru no?Ren, are you interested in the history of the clergy?
- 蓮 Ren少しだけね、すごく奥が深いと思うよ。Sukoshi dake ne, sugoku oku ga fukai to omou yo.Just a little, but I think it is very profound.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clergy” translations and entries 聖職者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
