Confucian

adjective

Con·​fu·​cian kən-ˈfyü-shən How to pronounce Confucian (audio)
: of or relating to the Chinese philosopher Confucius or his teachings or followers
Confucian noun
Confucianism noun
Confucianist noun or adjective

Examples of Confucian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 The Confucian temple was wrecked, and a crowd gathered to pull down the giant stone slabs. Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 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 Rooted in Confucian ethics, Zen Buddhism and Shinto beliefs, this code emphasizes loyalty, self-sacrifice and duty to protect others. Ronald S. Green, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Confucian was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Confucian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Confucian. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

Confucian

adjective
Con·​fu·​cian kən-ˈfyü-shən How to pronounce Confucian (audio)
: of or relating to the Chinese philosopher Confucius or his teachings or followers
Confucian noun
Confucianism noun
Confucianist noun or adjective
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