坊主

Japanese

Kanji in this term
坊	主
ぼう Grade: S	す > ず Grade: 3
on’yomi

Noun

坊主 (hiragana ぼうず, rōmaji bōzu)

A Buddhist monk
A bald head, bald person
(slang) A young boy; kid; kiddo; sonny

Usage notes

May be used as an uncomplimentary address for a Buddhist priest or monk: Similar phonetically to 凡 (ぼん)僧 (そう) (bonsō); or ぼんぞう (bonzō): an ordinary, lowly monk.

The “bald head, bald person” sense typically refers to one that is shaved bald, though may sometimes refer to one who is naturally bald, for example due to male pattern baldness or other hair loss.

Synonyms

(monk):
- 法 (ほう)師 (し) (hōshi)
- お坊 (ぼう)さん (obōsan)
- 僧 (そう) (sō)
(youngster):
- 小 (こ)僧 (ぞう) (kozō)

Derived terms

油坊主 (あぶらぼうず) (aburabōzu): skilfish
照 (て)る照 (て)る坊 (ぼう)主 (ず) (teruterubōzu): lit. "shine shine monk"
坊主頭 (ぼうずあたま) (bōzuatama): shaved head
丸坊主 (まるぼうず) (marubōzu): clean shaven
三 (みっ)日 (か)坊 (ぼう)主 (ず) (mikkabōzu): (literally, three day priest) someone who cannot stick to anything, someone who gives up easily.
腕白坊主 (わんぱくぼうず) (wanpakubōzu): naughty child, rascal
坊主憎 (ぼうずにく)けりゃ袈 (け)裟 (さ)まで憎 (にく)い (bōzu nikukerya kesa made nikui)

References

2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.