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教主 (jiào zhǔ) — founder of a religion or sect; (colloquial) cult leader; charismatic figurehead of a fandom or online community

Definition

Literally 'founder of a religion or sect', but in modern Chinese it is widely used online to humorously call a celebrity or influencer a 'cult leader' that fans follow devotedly.

noun
founder of a religion or sect(colloquial) cult leadercharismatic figurehead of a fandom or online community
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 教主。
    Zhè wèi jiào zhǔ chuàng lì le yí gè xīn de zōng jiào.
    This founder established a new religion.
  • 教主。
    Zhè ge míng xīng de fěn sī dōu jiào tā jiào zhǔ.
    This celebrity's fans all call him the 'cult leader'.
  • 教主？
    Nǐ fěn zhè ge jiào zhǔ hěn jiǔ le ma?
    Have you been following this cult leader for a long time?

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.

教jiàoreligion
主zhǔmaster

教 refers to religion or teaching, 主 to a master, giving 'religious master'.

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
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 →

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 →
Appears in
Identity & TitlesReligion & Belief

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