Con·fu·cian
kən-ˈfyü-shən 
: of or relating to the Chinese philosopher Confucius or his teachings or followers
Confucian
noun
Con·fu·cian·ism
kən-ˈfyü-shə-ˌni-zəm
plural -s
: the system of teachings of Confucius and his disciples characterized by central emphasis on the practice and cultivation of the cardinal virtues of filial piety, kindness, righteousness, propriety, intelligence, and faithfulness that historically has formed the basis of much of Chinese ethics, education, statecraft, and religion
Examples of Confucian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Over the course of the visit, Trump is expected to visit the Temple of Heaven, a monument to imperial China and Confucian thought in the center of Beijing.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Government officials noted the island’s drift away from Confucian values.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
The passion reflects a tradition in the Confucian belt of East Asia that the path to glory is to study.
—Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Likewise, Stephan Angle proposes that the capacity to program software, which can encourage certain virtues, suggests that the ubiquity of AI may be of use in constructing a society with Confucian values.
—Big Think, 18 Nov. 2025
Chinese doctors warned clinicians that patients may deploy Confucian metaphors framing hereditary cancer as moral condemnation.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Sip omija tea in shaded pavilions, while elders trace calligraphy on rice paper in the Confucian school, while at dusk, cranes wheel overhead and lanterns flicker along the riverbank.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Under Xi, significant resources have been poured into initiatives such as the Confucian canon project, which reached a 20-year milestone in 2023 by classifying over 200 million characters’ worth of texts from China’s cultural traditions.
—Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
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Adjective
Here, against the intimate interiority of this elegant narrative, untamed urges clash with Confucian ideals of filial piety and Buddhist undertones of the suffering caused by worldly attachments.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Over the course of the visit, Trump is expected to visit the Temple of Heaven, a monument to imperial China and Confucian thought in the center of Beijing.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Government officials noted the island’s drift away from Confucian values.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
The passion reflects a tradition in the Confucian belt of East Asia that the path to glory is to study.
—Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Likewise, Stephan Angle proposes that the capacity to program software, which can encourage certain virtues, suggests that the ubiquity of AI may be of use in constructing a society with Confucian values.
—Big Think, 18 Nov. 2025
Chinese doctors warned clinicians that patients may deploy Confucian metaphors framing hereditary cancer as moral condemnation.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Sip omija tea in shaded pavilions, while elders trace calligraphy on rice paper in the Confucian school, while at dusk, cranes wheel overhead and lanterns flicker along the riverbank.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Under Xi, significant resources have been poured into initiatives such as the Confucian canon project, which reached a 20-year milestone in 2023 by classifying over 200 million characters’ worth of texts from China’s cultural traditions.
—Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confucian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Confucian. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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Confucian
adjective
Con·fu·cian
kən-ˈfyü-shən
: of or relating to the Chinese philosopher Confucius or his teachings or followers
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