Chenpo

Chenpo is a Tibetan term that generally means “great” or “venerable.” It functions as an honorific title and can also appear as part of given names in Tibetan-speaking communities. In Buddhist contexts, chenpo is used to express respect for teachers or revered figures and is commonly attached to the name of a respected lama or scholar. It is not an official monastic rank, but rather a mark of esteem that can be employed before or after a name in speech and in inscriptions.

In practice, chenpo is encountered in liturgical writing, inscriptions on religious objects, and everyday address within Tibetan Buddhism. The attachment conveys recognition of spiritual achievement, learning, or authority, and the usage can vary by lineage, region, and era. While it closely resembles other honorifics, its tone is generally devotional and respectful rather than administrative.

Chenpo may also function as a personal name component in Tibetan-speaking communities and among Tibetan diaspora populations. As a given-name element, it can appear with or without additional titles and is sometimes chosen to convey a sense of greatness or virtue. Variants in transliteration exist, reflecting different methodologies for rendering Tibetan sounds into Latin script.

Related terms include lama, rinpoche, and khenpo, which denote different kinds of spiritual authority or scholarly attainment. Chenpo sits alongside these terms as a flexible honorific that signals esteem rather than a formal rank, and its exact use can vary across traditions and communities.