Chinese word

宗教

Pronunciation

Pinyinzōng jiào

Meaning

  • nounreligion

Example

这个国家有很多不同的宗教。zhè ge guó jiā yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de zōng jiào

This country has many different religions.

Illustration for 宗教 (religion)

More examples

政府调整了宗教政策以促进社会稳定。zhèng fǔ tiáo zhěng le zōng jiào zhèng cè yǐ cù jìn shè huì wěn dìng

The government adjusted its religious policy to promote social stability.

Core concept

A shared framework that connects beliefs about the unseen or life's meaning with rituals, values, and a lasting community.

Common phrases

  • 宗教信徒zōng jiào xìn tú

    follower of a religion

  • 宗教改革zōng jiào gǎi gé

    religious reform

  • 宗教政策zōng jiào zhèng cè

    religious policy

Similar words

信仰xìn yǎng: The deep belief that a person holds in a god, ideal, or guiding principle.
教派jiào pài: A religious group with its own teachings and customs within a larger faith.
教义jiào yì: The central teachings and rules that a religion or philosophy expects people to follow.
迷信mí xìn: A baseless belief kept because of fear, habit, or tradition.

Definition in Chinese

宗教是人们围绕神灵、超自然或人生意义建立的信仰体系，通常包含固定的礼仪、伦理规范和组织形式。zōng jiào shì rén men wéi rào shén líng chāo zì rán huò rén shēng yì yì jiàn lì de xìn yǎng tǐ xì tōng cháng bāo hán gù dìng de lǐ yí lún lǐ guī fàn hé zǔ zhī xíng shì

Word origin

宗 (zōng, "ancestral tradition") + 教 (jiào, "teaching") joins a central tradition with what is taught, forming a word for an organized faith system.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese, this noun can describe a whole public tradition or institution, not only one person's private beliefs, so it often sounds broader than an English statement about personal faith.

Opposites

  • 无神论wú shén lùnatheismnoun
  • 世俗shì súsecularismnoun

Related words

  • 宗教信徒zōng jiào xìn túfollower of a religionnoun
  • 宗教改革zōng jiào gǎi géreligious reformnoun
  • 宗教政策zōng jiào zhèng cèreligious policynoun

Word lists with this word