How to say "priest" in Japanese

• 僧侶そうりょCommon
  nounThe general word for Buddhist priests and monks as a class; it does not cover Christian clergy, for which 司祭 is the term.
  彼かれは僧侶そうりょに近ちかい禁欲きんよく生活せいかつをしている。↗

  He practices austerities almost like a monk.
• 司祭しさいCommon
  no-adjectiveA Christian priest — clergy ordained to celebrate the sacraments, especially in Catholic and Orthodox churches. It is not used for Buddhist monks or priests.
  「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.
• 僧そうJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA one-character word for a Buddhist monk, denoting the same figure as 僧侶. Both are Buddhist terms, so for a general mention of a Buddhist priest, 僧侶 is the safer pick.
  その僧そうは子供こどもたちの遊あそびに参加さんかした。↗

  The priest participated in the children's game.
• 出家しゅっけCommon
  nounStrictly the act of leaving home to become a monk, renouncing secular life. It names the person only secondarily, so for 'priest' as a person it is seldom the word you want.
• 和尚おしょうCommon
  nounA monk, especially the head monk of a temple, so it fits the priest in charge of a particular temple. It is not a general word for clergy of any religion.
  衣ころもばかりで和尚おしょうはできぬ。↗

  The robes do not make the monk.

For Buddhist clergy generally use 僧侶 (僧 is a one-character synonym); for a Christian priest use 司祭; for the priest who heads a temple use 和尚; 出家 mainly names the act of becoming a monk rather than the person.

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

• 僧侶そうりょpriest
• 司祭しさいpriest
• 僧そうmonk
• 祭司さいしpriest
• 入道にゅうどうentering the priesthood
• プリーストpriest
• 刀禰とねpriest
• 律師りっしpreceptor
• 桑門そうもんmonk
• 貴僧きそうhigh priest
• 坊様ぼんさまmonk
• 神官しんかん(Shinto) priest
• 祭主さいしゅ(head) priest
• 出家しゅっけpriest
• 和尚おしょうmonk (esp. the head monk of a temple)
• 大徳だいとくvirtuous priest
• 禰宜ねぎpriest (below chief priest and above junior priest)
• パーテルpriest
• 緇衣しえpriest