宗派 (zōng pài) — faction, sect (often with negative connotation of narrow loyalty); school of thought (within a religion or philosophy)

Definition

A noun for a 'faction' or 'sect' — a group united by shared beliefs, often with a negative sense of narrow-minded loyalty. In religion/philosophy it can be neutral ('a school of thought'); in politics or academia it usually carries a critical tone.

noun
factionsect (often with negative connotation of narrow loyalty)school of thought (within a religion or philosophy)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 宗派。
    Zhè ge zhèng dǎng nèi bù chū xiàn le jǐ gè bù tóng de zōng pài.
    Several different factions have emerged within this political party.
  • 宗派，。
    Fó jiào yǒu hěn duō zōng pài, gè pài dōu yǒu zì jǐ de jīng diǎn.
    Buddhism has many sects, each with its own scriptures.
  • 宗派。
    Xué shù jiè bú yīng gāi yǒu zōng pài zhī jiàn.
    The academic world should not have sectarian views.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

宗zōngschool
派pàifaction

宗 and 派 both denote a school or faction, so together they mean a sect.

Characters in this word

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 示示shìspirit tablet

宗 pairs 宀, a house, with 示, a spirit tablet, to show an ancestral shrine or temple.

Open 宗 →

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
水水shuǐwater; river
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢派pài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

派 is built from 水 (water/river) and 𠂢. 𠂢 gives the sound, and 水 was added later to tell the character apart from the older form.

Open 派 →

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