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异教徒 (yì jiào tú) — pagan, heathen (someone who follows a different religion)

Definition

A pejorative term, used historically, for someone who follows a religion different from one's own — typically applied by the majority religion to minority or pre-existing faiths. Carries a negative, accusatory tone; not a neutral synonym for 宗教.

noun
paganheathen (someone who follows a different religion)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，异教徒。
    Zài gǔ dài, yì jiào tú cháng cháng bèi dàng zuò dí rén duì dài.
    In ancient times, pagans were often treated as enemies.
  • 异教徒。
    Zhè ge cūn zi lǐ de yì jiào tú hé xìn tú men hé mù xiāng chǔ.
    In this village, pagans and believers live together harmoniously.
  • ，异教徒。
    Zài zhōng shì jì, ōu zhōu de yì jiào tú shòu dào le hěn duō pò hài.
    In the Middle Ages, pagans in Europe suffered a lot of persecution.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

异教different religion
异yìdifferent教jiàoreligion
偏正Modifier + head
徒túfollower

Different religion and follower combine to mean someone who follows another faith.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 異; 异 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 異 depicts a person with a mask 田 over the face, so the face looks different. The simplified 异 is a later shorthand.

Open 异 →

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
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
土
土tǔ徒tú
Same sound today

徒 originally paired 辵, a walking sign, with 土 to show its sound. The shape later changed into 彳 and 走.

Open 徒 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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