宗教

• Pinyin: zōng jiào
• Hanzi breakdown: 宗 = 宀 (roof) + 示 (altar), meaning ancestral shrine; 教 = 孝 (filial) + 攵 (strike), meaning to teach

Meaning

Religion; religious faith; a system of spiritual beliefs and practices.

The general term for organized religion, covering Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, and others. Used in academic, political, and everyday contexts. China officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

Examples

1. 中国宪法保障公民有宗教信仰自由，但宗教活动必须在法律框架内进行。 China's constitution guarantees citizens freedom of religious belief, but religious activities must be conducted within the legal framework.
2. 不同宗教之间应该互相尊重、和平共处，而不是互相排斥。 Different religions should respect each other and coexist peacefully, rather than reject one another.
3. 他对比较宗教学很感兴趣，研究过世界上多种宗教的起源和发展。 He's very interested in comparative religion and has studied the origins and development of many world religions.

Usage Guide

Context: academics, society, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你有宗教信仰吗？(Do you have any religious beliefs?)
• 这是一个宗教节日。(This is a religious holiday.)

Don't Say

• 我的宗教是运动。(Don't use 宗教 metaphorically in Chinese — for passions, use 热爱 or 信仰)

Origin & History

Compound of 宗 (ancestor, sect, school) and 教 (teaching, religion). Together they denote a teaching or belief system passed down through generations.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal