How to say "chaplain" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 軍僧ぐんそうnounCovers the military sense of 'chaplain': a member of the clergy attached to the armed forces. The element 軍 'military' restricts it to that setting; for hospital, prison, or school chaplains, use チャプレン instead.
- nounA katakana borrowing of 'chaplain', so it covers the general sense: chaplains in hospitals, prisons, schools, and the armed forces. For a chaplain outside the military, this is the word to use.
Both are less common choices: use 軍僧 only for a chaplain attached to the armed forces, while 「チャプレン」, borrowed from 'chaplain', covers the general sense in hospitals, prisons, schools, and the military.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
