尼僧

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 尼僧 is read as にそう and is a noun for a Buddhist nun, a woman who has entered Buddhist religious life.
• Basic usage: The acting subject appears in 尼僧が茶を出す, while a character appears in 物語の尼僧.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Relation to 僧侶
  • 僧侶 broadly means a Buddhist monastic, while 尼僧 specifically identifies a woman.
• Scope of nun
  • English nun can refer to women in other religious orders, so Buddhist nun makes the intended scope explicit when needed.