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転びキリシタン (ころびキリシタン) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
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During the Edo period, many Christians became apostates.
Among the fallen Christians, some continued to practice their faith in secret.
Kanji 転 revolve, turn around, change 支 branch, support, sustain 丹 rust-colored, red, red lead Related words 隠かく れキリシタン 隠れキリシタン refers to hidden Christians who secretly maintained their faith, whereas 転びキリシタン specifically denotes those who publicly renounced Christianity, often under duress.
棄き 教きょう 者しゃ 棄教者 is a general term for an apostate from any religion, while 転びキリシタン is a historical term specific to Edo-period Japanese Christians.
Written forms 転ころ びキリシタン
Standard modern spelling using katakana for キリシタン.
転ころ び 切きり 支し 丹たん
Historical ateji spelling; now rare and mainly encountered in older texts.
Etymology Compound of 転び (korobi, 'falling' or 'turning away', from 転ぶ korobu) and キリシタン (Kirishitan, 'Christian', from Portuguese cristão). The term originated in the Edo period to describe Christians who apostatized under persecution.
