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邪教 (xié jiào) — cult (officially designated as harmful or illegal); heresy; false religious doctrine

Definition

An 'evil cult' — an officially condemned religious or pseudo-religious group deemed harmful to society or the state. In Chinese media and law, the label carries strong state and legal condemnation, far stronger than 'sect' or 'heresy'.

noun
cult (officially designated as harmful or illegal)heresyfalse religious doctrine

Examples

  • 邪教。
    Zhèng fǔ yán lì dǎ jī xié jiào zǔ zhī.
    The government cracks down hard on cult organizations.
  • 邪教，。
    Tā wù rù xié jiào, hòu lái zhōng yú xǐng wù le.
    He was led astray into a cult, but later finally came to his senses.
  • 邪教。
    Zhè bù jì lù piàn jiē lù le xié jiào de piàn rén shǒu duàn.
    This documentary exposes the deceptive methods of the cult.

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.

邪xiéperverse
教jiàosect

“邪” means perverse and “教” means sect, giving a perverse sect.

Characters in this word

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
邑邑yìtown; city
Sound part声符shēngfú
牙
牙yá邪xié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

邪 puts 牙 beside 邑 (town; city): 牙 gives the sound, and 邑 shows it was first used in a place name. It was later used for strange or evil meanings.

Open 邪 →

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 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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