原教旨主义 (yuán jiào zhǐ zhǔ yì) — fundamentalism (religious or political doctrine of strict adherence to core principles)

Definition

Borrowed term for 'fundamentalism' — strict, literal adherence to a religion's or ideology's core doctrines. Translated as 原旨 (original meaning) + 主义 (-ism).

noun
fundamentalism (religious or political doctrine of strict adherence to core principles)

Examples

  • 原教旨主义。
    Zhè zhǒng yuán jiào zhǐ zhǔ yì de jí duān sī xiǎng duì shè huì wěn dìng zào chéng le wēi xié.
    This kind of fundamentalist extremism poses a threat to social stability.
  • 原教旨主义。
    Hěn duō xué zhě cóng lì shǐ jiǎo dù fēn xī yuán jiào zhǐ zhǔ yì de qǐ yuán.
    Many scholars analyze the origins of fundamentalism from a historical perspective.
  • 原教旨主义。
    Tā pī píng le nà zhǒng máng mù zhuī suí yuán jiào zhǐ zhǔ yì de zuò fǎ.
    He criticized the practice of blindly following fundamentalism.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

原教旨original religious tenets
原yuánoriginal教jiàoreligion旨zhǐtenets
偏正Modifier + head
主义doctrine/ism
主zhǔprincipal义yìmeaning
偏正Modifier + head

原教旨 means original religious tenets, and 主义 means a doctrine or -ism.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
甘甘gāndelicious
Sound part声符shēngfú
匕
匕bǐ旨zhǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

旨 combines 甘, meaning delicious, with 匕, a spoon used to taste food; 匕 also gives the sound.

Open 旨 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →

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