教祖

• 読み: きょうそ
• ローマ字: kyouso
• 漢字の分解: 教 (kyou) — teach, religion, doctrine; 祖 (so) — ancestor, founder, originator
• 発音: /kjoː.so/

意味

Founder of a religious sect; religious founder. The person who established a religion or sect.

A noun specifically for the founder or originator of a religious group or sect. Composed of 教 (kyou, teaching/religion) + 祖 (so, ancestor/founder). Used neutrally in academic contexts but can carry negative connotations when referring to cult leaders. Distinguished from 開祖 (kaiso, founder/originator), which is used more broadly. In modern media, sometimes used pejoratively for leaders of controversial new religious movements.

例文

1. その宗教の教祖は千年以上前に生まれた。
2. 教祖の教えは今も多くの信者に受け継がれている。
3. 新興宗教の教祖が逮捕されたニュースが話題になった。

使い方ガイド

場面: religion, history, media

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

From Sino-Japanese: 教 (kyou, teaching/religion) + 祖 (so, ancestor/founder). Literally 'ancestor of a teaching' — the originator of a religious doctrine.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal