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Kotomora

教

teach, faith, doctrine

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 200Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • キョウ

Kun'yomi

  • おし.える
  • おそ.わる

Nanori

  • のり
  • ひさ

Meaning

教 centers on passing knowledge or belief from one person to another: teaching, instructing, or spreading a doctrine or faith.

Most common words using 教

24 of 799
  • 教えおしえ
    N1

    teaching; instruction; teachings; precept; lesson; doctrine

  • 教育きょういく
    N4

    education; schooling; training; instruction; teaching; upbringing

  • 教授きょうじゅ
    N3

    professor

  • 教師きょうし
    N3

    teacher; instructor

  • 宗教しゅうきょう
    N3

    religion; religious affiliation; belief; faith; creed

  • 教会きょうかい
    N4

    church; congregation

  • 教室きょうしつ
    N5

    classroom; lecture room

  • 教えるおしえる
    N5

    to teach; to instruct

  • 教科書きょうかしょ
    N3

    textbook; coursebook; schoolbook

  • 調教ちょうきょう

    training (animals); breaking (animals)

  • 教員きょういん
    N2

    teacher; instructor; teaching staff; faculty member

  • 仏教ぶっきょう
    N3

    Buddhism

  • 説教せっきょう
    N1

    sermon; preaching; homily

  • 教徒きょうと

    believer; adherent

  • 教養きょうよう
    N2

    (understanding or appreciation of) culture; (one's) education; cultivation; sophistication; refinement

  • 教わるおそわる
    N3

    to be taught; to learn; to take lessons in

  • 教材きょうざい
    N1

    teaching materials

  • 教訓きょうくん
    N1

    lesson; precept; teachings; moral

  • 教団きょうだん

    religious organization; religious organisation

  • 教官きょうかん

    teacher; instructor; professor

  • 教科きょうか
    N2

    subject; curriculum

  • 教諭きょうゆ
    N1

    (licensed) teacher

  • 布教ふきょう

    propagation (e.g. a religion); proselytizing; missionary work

  • イスラム教イスラムきょう
    N3

    Islam

Explore all words using 教 →

Study

Etymology

教 combines 孝 (which here likely represents a child learning from an elder) with 攵 (a hand holding a stick, suggesting instruction or discipline). Together they express the idea of teaching or imparting doctrine.

Meaning mnemonic

On the left, 孝 suggests a child receiving guidance; on the right, 攵 shows a hand with a stick, like a teacher pointing at a board. Together they mean teach or doctrine.

Reading mnemonic

For キョウ, imagine a teacher in Kyoto (京都, きょうと) using a stick to point at a lesson: Kyoto -> キョウ, and the scene is all about teaching.