坊主

Japanese

Kanji in this term
坊	主
ぼう Grade: S	す > ず Grade: 3
on’yomi

Noun

坊主 (hiragana ぼうず, rōmaji bōzu)

A Buddhist monk
A bald person
(slang) A young boy (kid, sonny)

Usage notes

May be used as an uncomplimentary address for a Buddhist priest or monk: Similar photonicly to 凡僧 (ぼんそう, bonsō; or ぼんぞう, bonzō): an ordinary, lowly monk.

Synonyms

(monk):
- 法 (ほう)師 (し) (hōshi)
- 坊 (ぼう)さん (bōsan)
- 僧 (そう) (sō)
(youngster):
- 小 (こ)僧 (ぞう) (kozō)

Derived terms

油坊主 (あぶらぼうず) (aburabōzu): skilfish
照 (て)る照 (て)る坊 (ぼう)主 (ず) (teruterubōzu): lit. "shine shine monk"
坊主頭 (ぼうずあたま) (bōzuatama): shaved head
丸坊主 (まるぼうず) (marubōzu): clean shaven
三 (みっ)日 (か)坊 (ぼう)主 (ず) (mikkabōzu): (literally, three day priest) someone who cannot stick to anything, someone who gives up easily.
腕白坊主 (わんぱくぼうず) (wanpakubōzu): naughty shaven

References

2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.

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