What is the meaning of 조사?

investigation; examination

particle; postposition

exposure to light

irradiation

eulogy; words of condolence

wording; phraseology

premature death; untimely death

synonym of 어조사(語助辭) (eojosa, “Classical Chinese grammatical particle”)

founder (of a school of learning, or sect of Buddhism or Daoism)

Source: wiktionary.org