キリスト

キ

リ

ス

ト

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

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

。

Christ is the central figure of Christianity.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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