和尚

“Senior monk who holds the precepts-granting ceremony; preceptor” > “high priest; head monk” > “Buddhist monks in general”. First attested in the 3rd–4th centuries CE, as 和上.

Borrowed from Prakrit 𑀉𑀯𑀚𑁆𑀛𑀸𑀅 (uvajjhāa), 𑀉𑀅𑀚𑁆𑀛𑀸𑀅 (uajjhāa), 𑀉𑀚𑁆𑀛𑀸𑀅 (ujjhāa), 𑀑𑀚𑁆𑀛𑀸𑀅 (ŏjjhāa, “teacher; religious teacher”), all from Sanskrit उपाध्याय (upādhyāya, “teacher; preceptor; spiritual adviser”) (Chu, 2002). The use of 上 (MC dzyangH) or 尚 (MC dzyangH) to render Prakrit jjhāa /d̚d͡ʑʱɑː.ɐ/ was probably influenced by:

1. The weakening of the nasal –ŋ coda in the ancient northwestern dialect of Middle Chinese, and
2. The use of phono-semantic matching in transcription, with 尚 taken to mean “noble; virtuous; to revere” (idem).

Compare Gandhari 𐨀𐨂𐨬𐨗𐨸𐨩 (uvaj̄aya, “teacher”), Pali upajjhāya, upajjhā, upajjha (“spiritual teacher or preceptor”), Hindi ओझा (ojhā, “exorcist”), Assamese ওজা (üza, “one well-versed in any art; teacher; sorcerer”), Bengali ওঝা (ōjha, “snake-charmer; exorcist”), Odia ଓଝା (ojhā, “teacher; one who cures snake-bites; wizard; exorcist; title of blacksmiths and carpenters”), Malayalam വാധ്യായൻ (vādhyāyaṉ, “teacher; family priest”), Tamil வாத்தியார் (vāttiyār, “teacher; family priest; one who trains actors and dancers”).

Alternative theories, such as those put forth by Tang Dynasty monks Xuanying and Huiyuan, hypothesise that this was borrowed from Khotanese or language of the Shule Kingdom, but these appear less likely.

和尚

1. (Buddhism) preceptor; high priest; head monk
2. (by extension) any Buddhist monk
3. (Gan) knee

• (Sanskritized transcription in Tang Dynasty) 鄔波馱耶／邬波驮耶
• (Buddhist monk):

• (knee):

Others:

• → Tangut: 𗇇𗀒 (*xwa¹ śjow²)
• → Zhuang: hozsiengh

• 周存 [Zhōu, Cún], editor (2023), “和尚”, in 长汀话词典 CHANGTINGHUA CIDIAN [Dictionary of Changting Dialect] (overall work in Hakka and Mandarin), Guangzhou: 世界图书出版有限公司 [World Book Publishing Co., Ltd.], →ISBN, page 700.

• (Tokyo) おしょー [óꜜshòò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1][2]
• IPA^(key): [o̞ɕo̞ː]

和(お)尚(しょう) • (oshō) ^{←をしやう (wosyau)?}

1. (Zen or Pure Land Buddhism) Buddhist priest
   1. a Buddhist priest who is the head of a temple or in a higher rank.
   2. title and style for high ranked Buddhist priests.
   3. a Buddhist priest master who gives instructions to other priests.

• (a Buddhist priest who is the head of the temple or in a higher rank): 住職(じゅうしょく) (jūshoku)
• (a title for Buddhist priests): 和(わ)上(じょう) (wajō), 和(わ)闍(じょう) (wajō)

• (Tokyo) かしょー [káꜜshòò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [ka̠ɕo̞ː]

和(か)尚(しょう) • (kashō) ^{←くわしやう (kwasyau)?}

1. (Tendai or Kegon Buddhism) preceptor; high priest

• (Tokyo) わじょー [wáꜜjòò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [β̞a̠ʑo̞ː]

和(わ)尚(じょう) • (wajō) ^{←わじやう (wazyau)?}

1. (Shingon, Hosso, Ritsu or Shin Buddhism) preceptor; high priest

和尚

1. chữ Hán form of hoà thượng (“senior Buddhist monk”)