僧: the kanji for Buddhist monk
僧 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means Buddhist monk. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
僧 is written in 13 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
僧 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ソウ (sou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 僧そう · sō | Buddhist monk |
| 僧侶そうりょ · sōryo | Buddhist priest |
| 高僧こうそう · kōsō | high-ranking priest |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- お寺で僧がお経を読んでいる。Otera de sō ga okyō o yonde iru.A monk is chanting sutras at the temple.
- …祖父の法事に僧侶を呼んだ。Sofu no hōji ni sōryo o yonda.We invited a priest to my grandfather's memorial service.
- この寺は有名な高僧が開いた。Kono tera wa yūmei na kōsō ga hiraita.This temple was founded by a famous high priest.
- 僧侶の話を聞いて心が落ち着いた。Sōryo no hanashi o kiite kokoro ga ochitsuita.Listening to the priest's talk calmed my mind.
- 若い僧が朝早くから掃除をしている。Wakai sō ga asa hayaku kara sōji o shite iru.A young monk is cleaning from early in the morning.
Questions about 僧
How many strokes does 僧 have?
僧 is written in 13 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 僧?
The on readings are sou (ソウ). 僧 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 僧?
N1. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
People and relationships
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 僧
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.