使し徒と

し

と

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Primarily refers to the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ in Christian contexts. Can also be used figuratively for a devoted follower or pioneer of a cause.

ペテロはイエスの使し徒との一人ひとりです。
Peter is one of Jesus' apostles.
彼かれは平へい和わ運うん動どうの使し徒とと呼よばれている。
He is called an apostle of the peace movement.

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Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の使し徒とan apostle/advocate of (a cause)
彼かれは環かん境きょう保ほ護ごの使し徒ととして知しられている。
He is known as an apostle of environmental protection.

Kanji

使use, send on a mission, order
徒on foot, junior, emptiness

Related words

弟で子しN1
弟子 is the general word for a disciple or apprentice in any field, while 使徒 is reserved for the Twelve Apostles of Christ or a devoted follower of a cause.

Don't confuse with

使し途と
使途 (also read しと) means the intended use or purpose of money and is unrelated in meaning to 使徒, an apostle or disciple.
門もん徒と
門徒 refers to a believer of a Buddhist sect, whereas 使徒 is specifically a Christian apostle, so the two should not be swapped despite both meaning 'religious follower'.
信しん徒とN3
使徒 means 'apostle', a specific disciple sent to spread a religion's teaching, whereas 信徒 is simply an ordinary lay believer; the two share the kanji 徒 but differ in meaning.

Counted with

名めいN2
Used for people in formal or enumerative contexts; for this word, counting by people is possible but not especially everyday.

Word family

使し徒と書しょ
the Epistles (New Testament)
使し徒と達たち
the Apostles
使し徒と承しょう伝でん
apostolic succession
使し徒と書しょ簡かん
the Epistles (of the New Testament)
使し徒と継けい承しょう
apostolic succession

Written forms

使し徒とUsage80%
Standard kanji spelling for 'apostle' or 'disciple' in a Christian context.
しとUsage20%

Etymology

From Chinese 使徒 (shǐtú), literally 'messenger' or 'envoy'. The term was adopted in Japanese to translate the Christian concept of 'apostle'.