仏教徒

• Reading: ぶっきょうと
• Romaji: bukkyouto
• Kanji breakdown: 仏 (butsu) — Buddha; 教 (kyou) — teaching, religion; 徒 (to) — follower, disciple
• Pronunciation: /bɯk.kjoː.to/

Meaning

Buddhist; follower of Buddhism. A person who practises or adheres to the Buddhist faith.

A noun referring to a person who follows Buddhism. Composed of 仏教 (bukkyou, Buddhism) + 徒 (to, follower/disciple). Japan has the largest number of Buddhists in East Asia, though many Japanese identify as both Buddhist and Shintoist. The suffix 徒 is used for followers of various religions: キリスト教徒 (kirisutokyouto, Christian), イスラム教徒 (isuramukyouto, Muslim). Used in both casual and formal discussions of religion.

Examples

1. 日本には多くの仏教徒がいるが、信仰の形はさまざまだ。 There are many Buddhists in Japan, but the way they practice their faith varies widely.
2. 祖父は熱心な仏教徒で、毎日お経を読んでいた。 My grandfather was a devout Buddhist who chanted sutras every day.
3. 仏教徒として精進料理を食べる習慣がある。 As a Buddhist, I have a custom of eating vegetarian cuisine.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, culture, history

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 仏 (butsu/bu, Buddha) + 教 (kyou, teaching/religion) + 徒 (to, follower/disciple). Literally 'a follower of Buddha's teachings.'

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal