和尚
The English phrase 'monk' is translated into Chinese as 和尚. Wiktionary also lists 僧侶 / 僧侣 (sēnglǚ) and 僧 (sēng).
Meaning: male member of monastic order (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 和尚 | |
| 僧侶 / 僧侣 | sēnglǚ |
| 僧 | sēng |
| 修士 | xiūshì |
The term refers to a male member of a monastic order. When describing the specific act of 'entering the monastic life' or 'becoming a monk', the standard verb phrase used is 出家.
Which one should you use?
和尚 is the most common, colloquial term for a Buddhist monk in everyday speech. 僧侶 (sēnglǚ) is a more formal and collective term used in writing or formal contexts to refer to monks or the monastic community. 修士 (xiūshì) is often used in a broader sense to refer to a religious practitioner or a monk in non-Buddhist traditions (like Christian monks) or in a more academic/literary context.
Did you know?
- The Chinese word for monk shares an ancient linguistic root with the Hindi 'ojhā' and Bengali 'ōjha', which refer to exorcists and snake-charmers.
Examples in context
- 汤姆(Tom)决定出家为僧。Tom decided to become a monk.This sentence shows how to express the decision to become a monk using 僧.Tatoeba #8500224 by black333, translation #4700075 by CK
- 那位和尚正在寺庙里打坐。Nà wèi héshang zhèngzài sìmiào lǐ dǎzuò.That monk is meditating in the temple.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking past an old temple.
- 俊杰 Junjie你看，那边有一个和尚。Nǐ kàn, nàbiān yǒu yīgè héshang.Look, there is a monk over there.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen他在做什么呢？Tā zài zuò shénme ne?What is he doing?
- 俊杰 Junjie他在清扫院子。Tā zài qīngsǎo yuànzi.He is sweeping the courtyard.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen看起来很安静。Kàn qǐlái hěn ānjìng.It looks very peaceful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “monk” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 僧, 和尚, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
