How to say "pastor" in Japanese

• 牧師ぼくしJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe word for a pastor in the Protestant sense: a minister or clergyman who leads a congregation and preaches. When 'pastor' refers to Protestant clergy, this is the word to use.
  １９６４年ねんにキング牧師ぼくしはノーベル平和賞へいわしょうを受賞じゅしょうした。↗

  In 1964, Rev. King won the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 司祭しさいCommon
  no-adjectiveChiefly 'priest': the clergy of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Its 'pastor' sense applies when English uses 'pastor' for the priest in charge of a parish; Protestant pastors take 牧師 instead.
  「神かみはわれらの救すくいである」と司祭しさいは言いった。↗

  "God is our salvation," said the priest.

Choose 牧師 for a pastor in the Protestant sense—a minister or clergyman leading a congregation—and 司祭 for a priest of the Catholic or Orthodox tradition, as when 'pastor' names a parish priest.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 牧師ぼくしpastor
• 司祭しさいpriest