Confucianism

C3O1N1F4U1C3I1A1N1I1S1M3
US/kənˈfjuʃɪnɪzm/

noun

The philosophy and teaching of Confucius, which emphasizes self-cultivation, collective harmony, righteousness and the family structure.

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UncommonScrabble 21

Meanings

nounConfucianism (countable and uncountable, plural Confucianisms)

plural Confucianisms

  1. countableuncountableThe philosophy and teaching of Confucius, which emphasizes self-cultivation, collective harmony, righteousness and the family structure.
    1 more example

    A third important part of Confucianism is the concept of chun tzu or "ideal gentlemanly behavior." Confucius believed that the ideal man "is kind and upholds moral principles. He is a man who loves learning, who is calm and perfectly at ease and constantly careful of his own conduct, believing that by example he has great influence over society."

    1981 September 27, “Humanism is still alive and well”, in Free China Weekly, volume XXII, number 38, Taipei, page 2
  2. countableuncountableThe school of thought and philosophy centered on Confucian principles, originating in China, including later teachings of scholars such as Zhu Xi (Chu Hsi).
    1 more example

    The Chinese New Year holiday period, being disrupted this year by the outbreak of a viral illness, has evolved over more than 3,000 years to become the most important of China’s traditional festivals. As celebrated in China and in many other places where its known as the Lunar New Year, it is largely a secular holiday, yet it includes rituals and traditions that derive from Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, as well as from ancient myths and folk religions.

    2020 January 23, David Crary, “Chinese New Year secular now but kept religious underpinning”, in AP News, archived from the original on 15 Jun 2022
  3. countableuncountableA saying, epithet or idea attributed to Confucius.

Synonyms & antonyms

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Origin

  1. Proto-Sino-Tibetan*(g/k)uŋ
  2. Mandarin孔 (kǒng)
  3. Mandarin夫
  4. Proto-Sino-Tibetan*tsəʔ
  5. Mandarin子
  6. Mandarin夫子 (fūzǐ)
  7. Mandarin孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ)
  8. New LatinCōnfuciu
  9. EnglishConfucius
  10. EnglishConfucian
  11. EnglishConfucianism

From Confucian + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic كُونْفُوشِيَّة, كُونْفُشْيُوسِيَة
  • كُونْفُوشِيَّة (kūnfūšiyya)philosophy
  • كُونْفُشْيُوسِيَة (kūnfušyūsiya)philosophy
Catalan confucianisme
  • confucianismephilosophy
Chinese Cantonese 儒教, 儒家思想
  • 儒教 (jyu⁴ gaau³)philosophy
  • 儒家思想 (jyu⁴ gaa¹ si¹ soeng²)philosophy
  • 孔教philosophy
  • 儒學 /儒学 (jyu⁴ hok⁶)philosophy
Chinese Mandarin 儒教, 儒家思想
  • 儒教 (rújiào)philosophy
  • 儒家思想 (rújiā sīxiǎng)philosophy
  • 孔教 (kǒngjiào)philosophy
  • 儒學 /儒学 (rúxué)philosophy
Danish konfucianisme
  • konfucianismephilosophy
Dutch confucianisme
  • confucianismephilosophy
Finnish kungfutselaisuus, konfutselaisuus
  • kungfutselaisuusphilosophy
  • konfutselaisuusphilosophy
French confucianisme
  • confucianismephilosophy
German Konfuzianismus
  • Konfuzianismusphilosophy
Greek κομφουκιανισμός
  • κομφουκιανισμός (komfoukianismós)philosophy
Hungarian konfucianizmus
  • konfucianizmusphilosophy
Icelandic konfúsíusismi
  • konfúsíusismiphilosophy
Japanese 儒教, 儒学
  • 儒教 (jukyō)philosophy
  • 儒学 (jugaku)philosophy
  • 孔教 (kōkyō)philosophy
Korean 유교, 유학
  • 유교 (yugyo)philosophy
  • 유학 (yuhak)philosophy
  • 공교 (gonggyo)philosophy
Latvian konfūcisms
  • konfūcismsphilosophy
Polish konfucjanizm
  • konfucjanizmphilosophy
Portuguese confucionismo, confucianismo
  • confucionismophilosophy
  • confucianismophilosophy
Russian конфуциа́нство
  • конфуциа́нство (konfuciánstvo)philosophy
Spanish confucianismo
  • confucianismophilosophy
Swedish konfucianism
  • konfucianismphilosophy
Thai ลัทธิขงจื๊อ
  • ลัทธิขงจื๊อ (lát-tí kŏng-jéu)philosophy
Turkish Konfüçyüsçülük
  • Konfüçyüsçülükphilosophy
Urdu کنفیوشس مت
  • کنفیوشس مت (kanfuśas mat)philosophy
Vietnamese Nho giáo, Nho học
  • Nho giáophilosophy
  • Nho họcphilosophy
  • Khổng giáophilosophy
  • đạo Nhophilosophy
  • đạo Khổngphilosophy
  • đạo Thánh hiềnphilosophy
Cite this entry
APA

Confucianism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Confucianism

MLA

“Confucianism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Confucianism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Confucianism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Confucianism.

Source: Confucianism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.