キリスト

キ

リ

ス

ト

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

Christ

usually written using kana alone

Refers to Jesus Christ in Christian contexts. The katakana form is standard; the ateji 基督 is historical and rarely seen.

from Portuguese Cristo

キリストはキリスト教きょうの中ちゅう心しん人じん物ぶつです。
Christ is the central figure of Christianity.

Usage patterns

キリストを信しんじるto believe in Christ
彼かの女じょはキリストを信しんじている。
She believes in Christ.
キリストの教おしえthe teachings of Christ
牧ぼく師しはキリストの教おしえについて話はなした。
The pastor talked about the teachings of Christ.

Kanji

基fundamentals, radical (chem), counter for machines
督coach, command, urge

Related words

イエスN1
イエス is the personal name of Jesus, while キリスト is the title "Christ," often used together as イエス・キリスト.
救きゅう世せい主しゅ
救世主 is the general term "savior/messiah" and can be used of figures beyond Christianity, whereas キリスト specifically names Jesus Christ.

Don't confuse with

イエスN1
キリスト is the title 'Christ' or 'Messiah', while イエス is the personal name Jesus, so the two are often combined as イエス・キリスト but are not strictly interchangeable.
メシア
キリスト refers specifically to Jesus Christ, while メシア is the broader title of 'the anointed one' that Christians identify with Christ.

Written forms

キリストUsage97%
Standard katakana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
基督きりすとUsage3%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji kanji form; rarely used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

From Portuguese 'Cristo', borrowed during the 16th–17th century Christian mission period. The ateji spelling 基督 is a phonetic rendering.