寺
寺·temple
- On-yomi
- ジ
- Kun-yomi
- てら
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寺 | てら | (Buddhist) temple |
| 寺院 | じいん | temple (formal) |
| お寺 | おてら | temple (everyday word) |
| 寺社 | じしゃ | temples and shrines |
Example sentences
京都で古いお寺をいくつも見た。
きょうとでふるいおてらをいくつもみた。
I saw a number of old temples in Kyoto.
この寺院は千年ほど前に建てられた。
このじいんはせんねんほどまえにたてられた。
This temple was built about a thousand years ago.
正月には寺も神社もとても混む。
しょうがつにはてらもじんじゃもとてもこむ。
At New Year both temples and shrines get very crowded.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 寺院 as てらいん — it is じいん
- Confusing 寺 (a Buddhist temple) with 神社 (a Shinto shrine)
Memory aid
Picture it
Earth 土 above the measuring hand 寸 — a plot of ground carefully laid out and measured, and a temple raised on it.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 寺 mean?