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
Those old-school Confucian family dynamics, Ng said, are increasingly being tempered with a sense of autonomy.
—
Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 15 June 2024
The exams helped engender a large, male, managerial class indoctrinated by a common way of thinking – Confucian ideology.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 May 2024
The Confucian approach to life exhibited by the Chinese actors appealed to Wohlatz.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024
Official propaganda has used the festivities as a chance to underscore Confucian beliefs about an orderly family being the bedrock of a stable and prosperous society.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024
And Confucian thought interprets wood as a symbol of unlimited potential.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2024
The original text of the Bamboo Annals was buried with King Xiang of Wei, who died in 296 BCE, and wasn't discovered until 281 CE, thus surviving Emperor Qin Shi Huang's burning of the books in 212 BCE (not to mention burying hundreds of Confucian scholars alive).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 1 Jan. 2023
Citizen intellectuals and historians weren’t part of the Confucian tradition, with its often patronizing concern for the country or the people, but were motivated to act for personal reasons.
—Ian Johnson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2023
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
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.
Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 15 June 2024
The exams helped engender a large, male, managerial class indoctrinated by a common way of thinking – Confucian ideology.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 May 2024
The Confucian approach to life exhibited by the Chinese actors appealed to Wohlatz.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024
Official propaganda has used the festivities as a chance to underscore Confucian beliefs about an orderly family being the bedrock of a stable and prosperous society.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024
And Confucian thought interprets wood as a symbol of unlimited potential.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2024
The original text of the Bamboo Annals was buried with King Xiang of Wei, who died in 296 BCE, and wasn't discovered until 281 CE, thus surviving Emperor Qin Shi Huang's burning of the books in 212 BCE (not to mention burying hundreds of Confucian scholars alive).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 1 Jan. 2023
Citizen intellectuals and historians weren’t part of the Confucian tradition, with its often patronizing concern for the country or the people, but were motivated to act for personal reasons.
—Ian Johnson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2023
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
Dictionary Entries Near Confucian
Cite this Entry
“Confucian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Confucian. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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