Confucian
adjective
Con·fu·cian
kən-ˈfyü-shən 
: of or relating to the Chinese philosopher Confucius or his teachings or followers
Confucian
noun
Examples of Confucian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If political conformity was imposed in the imperial past by instilling Confucian orthodoxy and official history, vast areas of China always remained beyond the control of the central government.
—
Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023
The great singer cited that bit of Confucian wisdom often.
—Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY, 21 July 2023
Like many court ceremonies, the Confucian ritual that has been performed for centuries at the royal Jongmyo shrine in Korea, is meticulous and measured, stately and restrained.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 12 July 2023
Park’s dictatorial power and invocation of Confucian principles could not prevent the spread of liberal values.
—Hahm Chaibong, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2018
Until then, the inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula had thought of themselves as junior members of a universalistic Confucian cultural sphere.
—Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2016
In 1919, Lu Xun, one of modern China’s most influential writers, wrote a short story about a down-on-his-luck Confucian scholar named Kong Yiji.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 29 June 2023
For more than two millennia, the Confucian emphasis on learning had been a strength of Chinese culture.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
Some of the Taiping’s actions resembled those of Mao’s Cultural Revolution a hundred years later; countless Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian temples and shrines were destroyed.
—Ian Buruma, Harper's Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022
See More
Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023
The great singer cited that bit of Confucian wisdom often.
—Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY, 21 July 2023
Like many court ceremonies, the Confucian ritual that has been performed for centuries at the royal Jongmyo shrine in Korea, is meticulous and measured, stately and restrained.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 12 July 2023
Park’s dictatorial power and invocation of Confucian principles could not prevent the spread of liberal values.
—Hahm Chaibong, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2018
Until then, the inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula had thought of themselves as junior members of a universalistic Confucian cultural sphere.
—Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2016
In 1919, Lu Xun, one of modern China’s most influential writers, wrote a short story about a down-on-his-luck Confucian scholar named Kong Yiji.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 29 June 2023
For more than two millennia, the Confucian emphasis on learning had been a strength of Chinese culture.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
Some of the Taiping’s actions resembled those of Mao’s Cultural Revolution a hundred years later; countless Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian temples and shrines were destroyed.
—Ian Buruma, Harper's Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Confucian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1837, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near Confucian
Cite this Entry
“Confucian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Confucian. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
Confucian
adjective
Con·fu·cian
kən-ˈfyü-shən
: of or relating to the Chinese philosopher Confucius or his teachings or followers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share