도사

Korean

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 道士, from 道 (“the Way, Daoism”) + 士 (“knight, gentleman”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈto̞(ː)sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도(ː)사]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tōsa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 道士)

1. Taoist priest
2. (figuratively) wiz (exceptionally clever or gifted person)

   Synonym: 달인(達人) (darin)

3. person, often not affiliated with a specific religion, who meditates and practices East Asian spiritual exercises as to refine their inner self

   Synonym: (more common) 도인(道人) (doin)

4. (honorific) male shaman; male priest of Korean shamanism, the indigenous religion of the country

   Synonyms: 무속인(巫俗人) (musogin), 법사(法師) (beopsa); see also Thesaurus:무속인

Usage notes

• Taoism is not practiced in Korea, so the original sense of "Taoist priest" usually appears in Chinese contexts. The other senses could be considered adaptations of the word to a Korean context.

Related terms

• 도를 닦다 (doreul dakda, “to practice meditation and spiritual exercise”)
• 도가 트이다 (doga teu'ida, “to become adept or gifted at something”)

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 導師, from 導 (“guidance”) + 師 (“teacher”). The Yanbian sense is a semantic loan from Mandarin 導師／导师 (dǎoshī).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈto̞(ː)sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도(ː)사]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tōsa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 導師)

1. (Yanbian) academic advisor, thesis supervisor

   Synonym: 지도교수(指導敎授) (jidogyosu)

2. (Buddhism) one who guides others to the Buddhist path; an honorific title for Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and monks
3. (shamanism) An honorific title for various deities in Korean folk religion

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 道 (“province”) + 使 (“official”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈto̞(ː)sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도(ː)사]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tōsa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 道使)

1. (historical) In the Three Kingdoms of Korea, a regional governor in charge of individual towns and fortifications

   Synonyms: 처려근지(處閭近支) (cheoryeogeunji), 성주(城主) (seongju)

Etymology 4

Sino-Korean word from 都 (“capital”) + 事 (“affair”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [to̞sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도사]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tosa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 都事)

1. (historical) a type of secretary in the Korean government that existed from 1275 to 1882, usually numbering between twenty and thirty

Etymology 5

Sino-Korean word from 島 (“island”) + 司 (“official”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [to̞sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도사]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tosa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 島司)

1. (historical) In Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945), a colonial administrator in charge of large islands

   제주 도사(濟州 島司) ― Jeju dosa ― governor of Jeju Island

Etymology 6

Sino-Korean word from 徒死, from 徒 (“futile”) + 死 (“death”)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [to̞sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도사]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tosa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 徒死)

1. (rare, formal) futile death, death in vain

   Synonym: (colloquial) 개죽음 (gaejugeum)

Derived terms

• 도사(徒死)하다 (dosahada, “to die in vain”)

Etymology 7

Sino-Korean word from 禱 (“pray”) + 祀 (“worship”)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [to̞sʰa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [도사]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	dosa
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	dosa
McCune–Reischauer?	tosa
Yale Romanization?	tosa

Noun

도사 • (dosa) (hanja 禱祀)

1. (archaic) a ritual worshipping a Buddha or deity

Derived terms

• 도사(禱祀)하다 (dosahada, “to perform a ritual”)