国教 (guó jiào) — state religion

Definition

国教 (guójiào) is a state's official, legally established religion — often supported and protected by the government. Compare with 宗教, the general word for any religion.

noun
state religion

Examples

  • 国教。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de guó jiào shì fó jiào.
    The state religion of this country is Buddhism.
  • ，国教。
    Lì shǐ shàng, guó jiào wǎng wǎng yǔ zhèng zhì quán lì jǐn mì xiāng lián.
    Historically, the state religion was often closely tied to political power.
  • 国教。
    Yì xiē guó jiā méi yǒu fǎ dìng de guó jiào.
    Some countries do not have an official state religion.

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.

国guóstate
教jiàoreligion

The 教 religion of the 国 state.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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 →

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