僧

僧	U+50E7, 僧 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-50E7

← 僦
[U+50E6]

CJK Unified Ideographs

僨 →
[U+50E8]

僧	U+FA31, 僧 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FA31

← 侮
[U+FA30]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs

免 →
[U+FA32]

僧	U+2F80A, 僧 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F80A

← 備
[U+2F809]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement

像 →
[U+2F80B]

Translingual

Japanese	僧
Simplified	僧
Traditional	僧

Alternative forms

Note difference between Chinese form, which uses 曾, and Japanese shinjitai which uses 曽. Both forms are encoded under the same codepoint due to Han unification.

Han character

僧 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+12 in Chinese, 人+11 in Japanese, 14 strokes in Chinese, 13 strokes in Japanese, cangjie input 人金田日 (OCWA), four-corner 2826₆, composition ⿰亻曾 (GTKV) or ⿰亻曽 (J))

Related characters

增 (増) 憎

References

KangXi: page 117, character 14
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1076
Dae Jaweon: page 248, character 20
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 222, character 1
Unihan data for U+50E7
Unihan data for U+FA31
Unihan data for U+2F80A

Chinese

simp. and trad.		僧

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 僧

Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)

Liushutong (compiled in Ming)

Small seal script

Transcribed ancient scripts

**Small seal script**
s05925

**Transcribed ancient scripts**
L11518	L11519

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (曾) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
潧	*ʔsrɯn
繒	ʔsɯːŋ, zɯŋ
增	ʔsɯːŋ, ʔsɯːŋs
憎	*ʔsɯːŋ
磳	ʔsɯːŋ, zɯŋ
曾	ʔsɯːŋ, zɯːŋ
矰	*ʔsɯːŋ
罾	*ʔsɯːŋ
熷	*ʔsɯːŋ
竲	ʔsɯːŋ, zɯŋ
橧	ʔsɯːŋ, zɯŋ
譄	*ʔsɯːŋ
蹭	*sʰɯːŋs
層	*zɯːŋ
贈	*zɯːŋs
僧	*sɯːŋ
鬙	*sɯːŋ
甑	*ʔsɯŋs
鄫	*zɯŋ
驓	*zɯŋ
嶒	*zɯŋ
噌	*sʰɯːŋ
鏳	*zrɯːŋ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *sɯːŋ) : semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 曾 (OC *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯːŋ) – a kind of person (a Buddhist monk).

Etymology

Clipping of 僧伽 (MC səŋ ɡɨɑ, “sangha; community of monks, nuns, novices and laity”); see there for more.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): sēng (seng¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄙㄥ
Cantonese (Jyutping): zang¹, sang¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): sên
Min Dong (BUC): cĕng
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): chng / cheng / sng / seng
(Teochew, Peng'im): zêng¹
Wu (Wiktionary): sen (T1)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: sēng
  - Zhuyin: ㄙㄥ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: seng
  - Wade–Giles: sêng¹
  - Yale: sēng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: seng
  - Palladius: сэн (sɛn)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɤŋ⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: zang¹, sang¹
  - Yale: jāng, sāng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzang¹, sang¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: zeng¹, seng¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵/, /sɐŋ⁵⁵/

Note:

sang1 - literary;
zang1 - vernacular.

Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sên
  - Hakka Romanization System: sen´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: sen¹
  - Sinological IPA: /sen²⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: cĕng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɛiŋ⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chng
  - Tâi-lô: tsng
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zngf
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sŋ̍³³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: cheng
  - Tâi-lô: tsing
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zefng
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡ɕiɪŋ⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sng
  - Tâi-lô: sng
  - Phofsit Daibuun: sngf
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /sŋ̍³³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: seng
  - Tâi-lô: sing
  - Phofsit Daibuun: sefng
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /ɕiɪŋ⁴⁴/

Note:

chng, cheng - vernacular;
sng, seng - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: zêng¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tseng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡seŋ³³/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: sen (T1)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /səɲ⁵³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 僧
Mandarin	Beijing	/səŋ⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/t͡səŋ⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/səŋ²¹/
	Jinan	/səŋ²¹³/
	Qingdao	/səŋ²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/səŋ²⁴/
	Xi'an	/səŋ²¹/
	Xining	/sə̃⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/səŋ⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/sə̃n³¹/
	Ürümqi	/sɤŋ⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/sən⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/sən⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/sen⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/sə̃⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/sən³¹/
	Hefei	/sən²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/səŋ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/səŋ¹³/
	Hohhot	/sə̃ŋ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/səŋ⁵³/
	Suzhou	/sən⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/sen³³/
	Wenzhou	/saŋ³³/
Hui	Shexian	/sʌ̃³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/sɛ¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/t͡sən³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/t͡sən³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/sɛn⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/sen⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/sen²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/sɐŋ⁵³/
	Nanning	/t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/sɐŋ⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/siŋ⁵⁵/ /t͡siŋ⁵⁵/ 俗
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/t͡sɛiŋ⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/t͡saiŋ⁴⁴/ /saiŋ⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/t͡seŋ³³/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/t͡sɔŋ³³/ /t͡seŋ³³/

Middle Chinese: /səŋ/

Rime
Character	僧
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	登 (129)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	蘇增切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/səŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/səŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/səŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/səŋ/
Li Rong	/səŋ/
Wang Li	/səŋ/
Bernard Karlgren	/səŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	sēng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sang¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*sɯːŋ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	僧
Reading #	1/1
No.	16628
Phonetic component	曾
Rime group	蒸
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	僧
Old Chinese	/*sɯːŋ/
Notes	梵譯僧伽saṁɡha省稱

Definitions

僧

(Buddhism) monk; bonze
(Buddhism) sangha
a surname

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 和尚 (“Buddhist monk”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		和尚, 比丘, 僧, 僧人, 僧侶, 禪師 honorific
Mandarin	Beijing	和尚
	Taiwan	和尚
	Tianjin	和尚
	Chengde	和尚
	Tangshan	和尚
	Cangzhou	和尚
	Baoding	和尚
	Shijiazhuang	和尚
	Chifeng	和尚
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	和尚
	Heihe	和尚
	Qiqihar	和尚
	Harbin	和尚
	Jiamusi	和尚
	Baicheng	和尚
	Changchun	和尚
	Tonghua	和尚
	Shenyang	和尚
	Dandong	和尚
	Jinzhou	和尚
	Dalian	和尚
	Yantai	和尚
	Yantai (Muping)	和尚
	Qingdao	和尚
	Lijin	和尚
	Zhucheng	和尚
	Jinan	和尚, 僧人
	Jining	和尚
	Luoyang	和尚
	Wanrong	和尚
	Shangqiu	和尚
	Yuanyang	和尚
	Zhengzhou	和尚
	Lingbao	和尚
	Xinyang	和尚
	Baihe	和尚
	Hanzhong	和尚
	Xi'an	和尚
	Baoji	和尚
	Yinchuan	和尚
	Tianshui	和尚
	Lanzhou	和尚
	Dunhuang	和尚
	Xining	和尚
	Hami	和尚
	Ürümqi	和尚
	Wuhan	和尚
	Yichang	和尚
	Xiangyang	和尚
	Tianmen	和尚
	Hong'an	和尚
	Chengdu	和尚
	Nanchong	和尚
	Dazhou	和尚
	Hanyuan	和尚
	Xichang	和尚
	Zigong	和尚
	Chongqing	和尚
	Guiyang	和尚, 師父
	Zunyi	和尚
	Bijie	和尚
	Liping	和尚
	Zhaotong	和尚
	Dali	和尚
Kunming	和尚
Mengzi	和尚
Guilin	和尚
Guilin (Lingui)	和尚
Liuzhou	和尚, 師父
Liuzhou (Luorong)	和尚
Nanning (Wuming)	和尚
Jishou	和尚
Changde	和尚
Anqing	和尚
Xuzhou	和尚
Fuyang	和尚
Wuhu	和尚
Yangzhou	和尚
Lianyungang	和尚
Lianshui	和尚
Nanjing	和尚
Hefei	和尚
Nantong	和尚
Singapore	和尚, 師父
Cantonese	Guangzhou	和尚
	Hong Kong	和尚
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	和尚
	Macau	和尚
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	和尚
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	和尚
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	和尚
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	和尚
	Foshan	和尚
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	和尚
	Foshan (Shunde)	和尚
	Foshan (Sanshui)	和尚
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	和尚
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	和尚
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	和尚
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	和尚
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	和尚
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	和尚
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	和尚
	Taishan	和尚
	Kaiping (Chikan)	和尚
	Enping (Niujiang)	和尚
	Heshan (Yayao)	和尚
	Dongguan	和尚
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	和尚
	Qingyuan	和尚
	Fogang	和尚
	Yingde (Hanguang)	和尚
	Yangshan	和尚
	Lianshan (Butian)	和尚
	Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)	和尚
	Shaoguan	和尚
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	和尚
	Renhua	和尚
	Lechang	和尚
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	和尚
	Sihui	和尚
	Guangning	和尚
	Deqing	和尚
	Huaiji	和尚
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	和尚
	Yunfu	和尚
	Xinxing	和尚
	Luoding	和尚
	Yunan (Pingtai)	和尚
	Xinyi	和尚
	Lianjiang	和尚
	Nanning	和尚
	Wuzhou	和尚
	Yulin	和尚
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	和尚
	Guiping	和尚
	Mengshan (Xihe)	和尚
	Guigang (Nanjiang)	和尚
	Beiliu (Tangliao)	和尚
	Baise	和尚
	Bobai	和尚
	Lingshan	和尚
	Pubei	和尚
	Qinzhou	和尚
	Beihai	和尚
	Ningming	和尚
	Hengxian	和尚
	Hezhou (Pumen)	和尚
Gan	Nanchang	和尚
	Pengze	和尚
	Lichuan	和尚
	Pingxiang	和尚
Hakka	Meixian	和尚, 齋公
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	和尚
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	和尚
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	和尚
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	和尚
	Conghua (Lütian)	和尚
	Yudu	和尚
	Ruijin	和尚
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	和尚, 齋公仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	和尚, 齋牯, 齋公
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	和尚, 齋公仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	和尚, 齋公
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	和尚, 齋公仔
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	和尚
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	和尚
	Beiliu (Tang'an)	和尚
	Mashan (Pianlian)	師父
Huizhou	Jixi	和尚
Huizhou	Shexian	和尚
Jin	Taiyuan	和尚
	Pingyao	和尚
	Yangyuan	和尚
	Datong	和尚
	Xinzhou	和尚
	Lishi	和尚
	Linfen	和尚
	Changzhi	和尚
	Linhe	和尚
	Jining	和尚
	Hohhot	和尚
	Erenhot	和尚
	Pingshan	和尚
	Zhangjiakou	和尚
	Handan	和尚
	Linzhou	和尚
	Suide	和尚
Min Bei	Jian'ou	道老
	Songxi	長老
	Zhenghe	長老
	Jianyang	長老
	Wuyishan	長老
	Pucheng (Shibei)	長老
Min Dong	Fuzhou	和尚
Min Dong	Fuqing	和尚, 仙師
Min Nan	Xiamen	和尚
	Quanzhou	和尚
	Zhangzhou	和尚
	Taipei	和尚
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	和尚
	Kaohsiung	和尚
	Yilan	和尚
	Changhua (Lukang)	和尚
	Taichung	和尚
	Tainan	和尚
	Hsinchu	和尚
	Kinmen	和尚
	Penghu (Magong)	和尚
	Penang (Hokkien)	和尚
	Manila (Hokkien)	和尚
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	和尚
	Datian	和尚
	Shunchang (Pushang)	和尚
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	和尚
	Chaozhou	和尚
	Shantou	師父
	Shantou (Chenghai)	師父
	Jieyang	和尚
	Leizhou	和尚
	Haikou	和尚
Puxian Min	Putian (Donghai)	和尚
Min Zhong	Yong'an	和尚, 長老
	Sanyuan	長老
	Shaxian	和尚
Shaojiang Min	Shaowu	和尚
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	和尚
Zhongshan Min	Sanxiang	和尚
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	和尚
	Nanning (Shajing)	和尚
	Binyang (Xinqiao)	和尚
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	和尚
	Guilin (Chaoyang)	和尚
	Guilin (Zhuyuan)	和尚
	Lingchuan (Tanxia)	和尚
Wu	Shanghai	和尚
	Shanghai (Chongming)	和尚
	Shanghai (Jiading)	和尚
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	和尚
	Suzhou	和尚
	Danyang	和尚
	Hangzhou	和尚
	Ningbo	和尚
	Wenzhou	和尚
	Jinhua	和尚
Xiang	Changsha	和尚
	Loudi	齋公
	Quanzhou	和尚
	Guanyang (Wenshi)	和尚

Compounds

不僧不俗
僧人 (sēngrén)
僧伽 (sēngqié)
僧俗 (sēngsú)
僧塔 (sēngtǎ)
僧多粥少 (sēngduōzhōushǎo)
僧官
僧尼 (sēngní)
僧徒 (sēngtú)
僧房
僧祇 (sēngqí)
僧祐
僧肇
僧行
僧衣
僧道
僧院 (sēngyuàn)

僧鞋
和合僧
女僧
密陀僧 (mìtuósēng)
小僧 (xiǎosēng)
尼僧 (nísēng)
替僧
火宅僧
知事僧
粥少僧多
老僧 (lǎosēng)
老僧入定
苦行僧 (kǔxíngsēng)
衲僧
阿僧祇 (āsēngqí)
非洲和尚——黑人僧
高僧 (gāosēng)

僧伽藍／僧伽蓝
僧侶／僧侣 (sēnglǚ)
僧侶主義／僧侣主义
僧殘／僧残
僧眾／僧众
僧綱／僧纲
削髮為僧／削发为僧
奉道齋僧／奉道斋僧
情僧錄／情僧录
粥飯僧／粥饭僧
聖僧／圣僧
行腳僧／行脚僧
貧僧／贫僧 (pínsēng)
門僧／门僧
雲水僧／云水僧
齋僧／斋僧

Japanese

Shinjitai	僧
Kyūjitai [1]	僧 `僧` or 僧+`︀`^?
	僧󠄁 僧+`󠄁`^? (Adobe-Japan1)
	僧󠄅 僧+`󠄅`^? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

Glyph origin

Japanese shinjitai form: 僧 (曾 → 曽).

Kanji

僧

(common “Jōyō” kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 僧)

Buddhist priest
monk

Readings

Go-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
Kan-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
Kun: ぼうず (bōzu, 僧)

Compounds

仏(ぶっ)法(ぽう)僧(そう) (buppōsō)
僧(そう)伽(ぎゃ) (sōgya)
僧(そう)位(い) (sōi)
僧(そう)侶(りょ) (sōryo)
僧(そう)俗(ぞく) (sōzoku)
僧(そう)兵(へい) (sōhei)
僧(そう)号(ごう) (sōgō)
僧(そう)坊(ぼう), 僧(そう)房(ぼう) (sōbō)
僧(そう)堂(どう) (sōdō)
僧(そう)家(か) (sōka)
僧(そう)寺(じ) (sōji)
僧(そう)尼(に) (sōni)
僧(そう)帽(ぼう)弁(べん) (sōbōben)
僧(そう)庵(あん) (sōan)
僧(そう)形(ぎょう) (sōgyō)
僧(そう)服(ふく) (sōfuku)
僧(そう)正(じょう) (sōjō)
僧(そう)籍(せき) (sōseki)
僧(そう)綱(ごう) (sōgō)
僧(そう)職(しょく) (sōshoku)
僧(そう)衣(い) (sōi)
僧(そう)都(ず) (sōzu)
僧(そう)門(もん) (sōmon)
僧(そう)院(いん) (sōin)
売(まい)僧(す) (maisu)
学(がく)僧(そう) (gakusō)
小(こ)僧(ぞう) (kozō)
尼(に)僧(そう) (nisō)
禅(ぜん)僧(そう) (zensō)
高(こう)僧(そう) (kōsō)

Etymology

Clipping of 僧伽 (sōgya), borrowed from Sanskrit संघ (saṃgha).[2]

Pronunciation

On’yomi

(Tokyo) そー [sóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])[3][2]
IPA^(key): [so̞ː]

Noun

僧(そう) • (sō)

a (Buddhist) priest, bonze

References

“僧”, in 漢字ぺディア (Kanjipedia)‎ (in Japanese), 日本漢字能力検定協会, 2015—2023
2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
2011, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Seventh Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 僧 (MC səŋ).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	스ᇰ (Yale: sùng)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
Text	*Gloss (hun)*	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527	쥬ᇰ〯 (Yale: cywǔng)	스ᇰ (Yale: sùng)

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰɯŋ]
Phonetic hangul: [승]

Hanja

Wikisource僧 (eumhun 중 승 (jung seung))

Hanja form^? of 승 (“a Buddhist monk”).

Compounds

승려 (僧侶, seungnyeo)
승원 (僧院, seung'won)
승가 (僧伽, seungga)
승가 (僧家, seungga)
이승 (尼僧, iseung)
불법승 (佛法僧, bulbeopseung)

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

僧: Hán Việt readings: tăng (蘇(tô)增(tăng)切(thiết))

(Buddhism) priest, bonze

[1] “僧”, in 漢字ぺディア (Kanjipedia)‎ (in Japanese), 日本漢字能力検定協会, 2015—2023

[DJR-2] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[SMK7-3] 2011, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Seventh Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN