住持

zhùchí

noun #34,477

Measure Word

一位住持 wèi

Meanings

1 abbot
2 head monk of a Buddhist or Daoist monastery
3 (verb) to administer a monastery

Characters

to hold; manage

Examples

少林寺的住持是方丈。

Shàolínsì de zhùchí shì fāngzhàng.

The head of Shaolin Temple is the abbot.

他年轻时就住持过几座寺庙。

Tā niánqīng shí jiù zhùchíguo jǐ zuò sìmiào.

He headed several temples when he was still young.

Tips

culture

住持 is the office; 方丈 is the honorific title for the person holding it at a major temple. Both are used interchangeably in everyday speech.

Stroke Order

住 zhù

持 chí