Standard Lemma guide

Confucian

adj · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • kənfyo͞oshən
  • US: /kənˈfjuʃən/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /kənˈfjuːʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 N F Y UW1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Kongzian

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

One who follows the teachings of Confucius.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Confucianist, Ruist

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

relating to or characteristic of Confucianism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Confucian ethics

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a believer in the teachings of Confucius

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Confucianist

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: believer, truster

History

Etymology

From Confucius + -ian. Piecewise doublet of Kongzian.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: confucià — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Catalan: confucionista — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Czech: konfuciánský — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Danish: konfuciansk — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Dutch: confuciaans — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Finnish: kungfutselainen — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • French: confucéen — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • French: confucien — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • German: konfuzianisch — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Hungarian: konfuciuszi — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Italian: confuciano — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Polish: konfucjański — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Portuguese: confuciano — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Portuguese: confucionista — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Romanian: confucian — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Russian: конфуциа́нский (konfuciánskij) — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Spanish: confuciano — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Spanish: confucionista — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Swedish: konfuciansk — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Turkish: Konfüçyüsçü — of, pertaining to, or conforming to the teachings of Confucius
  • Catalan: confucià — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Chinese Mandarin: 儒家 (rújiā) — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Czech: konfucián — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Danish: konfucianer — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Finnish: kungfutselainen — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • French: confucianiste — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • German: Konfuzianer — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • German: Konfuzianerin — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Japanese: 儒家 (juka) — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Korean: 유가 (yuga) — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Latin: Confucianus — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Russian: конфуциа́нец (konfuciánec) — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Russian: конфуциа́нка (konfuciánka) — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Spanish: confuciano — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Spanish: confucionista — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Turkish: Konfüçyüsçü — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
  • Vietnamese: nho gia — one who follows the teachings of Confucius
Real reading context

Confucian in complete knowledge articles