基督教

• Pinyin: Jī dū jiào
• Hanzi breakdown: 基 = foundation; 督 = supervise; 教 = teach/religion. 基督 is a phonetic translation of 'Christ'

Meaning

Christianity; the Christian religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In Chinese, 基督教 specifically refers to Protestant Christianity, while 天主教 refers to Catholicism and 东正教 to Orthodox Christianity. All three are branches of Christianity but are distinguished in Chinese terminology.

Examples

1. 基督教在中国有着悠久的传播历史，信徒人数持续增长。 Christianity has a long history of spreading in China, and the number of believers continues to grow.
2. 他每周日都会去教堂参加基督教的礼拜活动。 He goes to church every Sunday to attend Christian worship services.
3. 基督教的核心教义强调爱与宽恕。 The core doctrine of Christianity emphasizes love and forgiveness.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, culture, history

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 她是虔诚的基督教徒。(She is a devout Christian.)
• 这本书介绍了基督教的基本教义。(This book introduces the basic doctrines of Christianity.)

Don't Say

• 混淆基督教和天主教 (In Chinese, these are distinct terms — 基督教 typically means Protestantism specifically)

Origin & History

基督 is a phonetic transliteration of 'Christ' (from Greek Χριστός), combined with 教 (religion/teaching).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal