教区 (jiào qū) — parish (subdivision of a diocese under a priest…

Definition

A Christian administrative territory run by clergy — a 教区 is the area served by one church leader, smaller than a diocese in everyday Chinese usage.

noun

parish (subdivision of a diocese under a priest)diocese (territorial division under a bishop)

Measure word · 个

教区。
Zhè ge jiào qū de jiào táng yǐ jīng yǒu yì bǎi duō nián lì shǐ le.
The church of this parish has a history of over a hundred years.
教区。
Tā zài zhè piàn jiào qū lǐ zuò le sān shí nián mù shī.
He has served as a pastor in this diocese for thirty years.
教区。
Quán jiào qū de jū mín dōu cān jiā le cí shàn huó dòng.
All the residents of the parish took part in the charity event.

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.

区qūdistrict

“教区” is the “区” of “教”, a territorial unit for religious affairs.

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.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 區; 区 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 區 is made from 匸 and 品; the simplified 区 is a shorthand.

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