方丈

fāngzhàng

noun #52,884

Measure Word

一位方丈 wèi

Meanings

1 abbot (of a Buddhist or Daoist monastery)
2 abbot's chamber

Characters

square, direction

zhang (unit of length), elder

Examples

少林寺的方丈是寺院的最高负责人。

Shàolín Sì de fāngzhàng shì sìyuàn de zuì gāo fùzérén.

Shaolin Temple's abbot is the monastery's top authority.

方丈亲自接待了来访的客人。

Fāngzhàng qīnzì jiēdài le láifǎng de kèrén.

The abbot personally received the visiting guests.

Tips

history

Originally meant a room of one square 丈 (zhàng, about 3.3 meters), the quarters of the head monk at a Chan/Zen monastery. By extension the word came to mean the head monk himself. Tone note: in the 'abbot' sense, 丈 is usually pronounced lightly (zhàng or neutral).

culture

Also used metaphorically in business/media for the 'boss' of a prominent institution, playfully — e.g. 电竞圈方丈.

Stroke Order

方 fāng

丈 zhàng