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# confucianism

noun (Confucianism; uncountable)

«confucianism» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A way of thinking and living based on the teachings of Confucius, a Chinese teacher who lived about 2,500 years ago; it stresses kindness, honesty, good manners, education and respect for parents, elders and rulers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#m1)
2. The tradition of schools, rituals and books that grew from these teachings in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#m2)

### In the lessons

In religious education and history lessons about China, Confucianism is studied alongside Daoism and Buddhism. Key ideas pupils meet: «filial piety» (respect and care for your parents), «ren» (kindness to others) and the Golden Rule: «Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself». Many people see it more as a philosophy of good behaviour than as a religion with a god. Phrases: «the teachings of Confucius», «Confucian values», «the Analects».

### Examples

- Confucianism teaches that children should respect and care for their parents. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#x1)
- Confucius said, «Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#x2)
- For centuries, Confucianism shaped schools and government in China. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#x3)
- Our RE class compared Confucianism and Daoism. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#x4)
- Confucianism values learning, so exams were very important in old China. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#x5)
- Many families in East Asia still follow Confucian customs at New Year. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/#x6)

### Note

Always written with a capital C because it comes from the name Confucius (in Chinese, Kong Fuzi, «Master Kong»). Said «kon-FYOO-shun-iz-um». Uncountable. The adjective is «Confucian». A common myth is that Confucius wrote all the jokes and sayings that begin «Confucius say…»; most of those are modern made-up jokes.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «confucianism» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confucianism/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«confucianism» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/confucianism.html) on Mova free.