寺|てらtera[2]odaka (tail-high)

1. nountemple (Buddhist)
   これが彼かれの泊とまっているお寺てらです。↗

   This is the temple where he stays.

• Synonym寺院じいんWrittenSino-Japanese word for a temple, typical of formal and administrative writing; it can also cover buildings of other religions, whereas 「寺」 is the everyday word.
• Synonym仏寺ぶつじWrittenBookish term for a Buddhist temple specifically; it serves to distinguish temples from shrines, and reads as more written than 「寺」.
• Related僧院そういんWrittenWritten word for a temple where monks live, stressing it as a place of practice; it also covers Christian monasteries.
• Related御坊ごぼうFormalHonorific for a temple or a monk, carrying an old-fashioned, respectful tone; not a neutral substitute for 「寺」 in everyday talk.
• Relatedお寺おてらCasualPolite form of 「寺」 and the usual choice in conversation; it can also refer to the monk of a temple, especially its head priest.
• Related梵刹ぼんさつWrittenLiterary word for a temple, especially a large or famous one, with a solemn, dignified flavor; it belongs mainly to written language.
• Related精舎しょうじゃWrittenBuddhist term for a temple, as in 「祇園精舎」; met in Buddhist contexts rather than everyday usage.
• Related御堂みどうFormalFormal word for a hall that enshrines a Buddha statue, by extension a temple; it can also mean a large Catholic church.

Say 「寺」 by default and 「お寺」 when being polite; for formal or administrative writing pick 「寺院」. Use 「仏寺」 to distinguish temples from shrines, 「梵刹」 for famous old temples, and 「御堂」 for a Buddha hall.

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

1. （てら）仏教ぶっきょうの僧尼そうにが居住きょじゅうし、各種かくしゅの宗教しゅうきょう行為こういを行おこなう施設しせつ及およびその建築物けんちくぶつ。