宣せん教きょう師し

せ

ん

きょ

う

し

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

missionary

Refers to a person sent to spread a religion, especially Christianity. Neutral term; can be used historically or in modern contexts.

彼かれは宣せん教きょう師しとしてアフリカに渡わたった。

He went to Africa as a missionary.

その宣せん教きょう師しは現げん地ちの言こと葉ばを学まなんだ。

The missionary learned the local language.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に宣せん教きょう師しを派は遣けんするto send a missionary/missionaries to a place
教きょう会かいはアフリカに宣せん教きょう師しを派は遣けんした。
The church sent missionaries to Africa.
宣せん教きょう師しとして〈場ば所しょ〉へ行いくto go somewhere as a missionary
彼かれは宣せん教きょう師しとして日本にほんへ行いった。
He went to Japan as a missionary.

Kanji

宣proclaim, say, announce
教teach, faith, doctrine
師expert, teacher, master

Related words

伝でん道どう師し
伝道師 is a broad term for any preacher or evangelist, while 宣教師 specifically means someone sent abroad to spread a religion.

Don't confuse with

牧ぼく師しN1
牧師 is a (usually Protestant) pastor who leads a local congregation, whereas 宣教師 is someone dispatched to spread the faith, often in a foreign land.
神しん父ぷN1
神父 refers to a Catholic priest attached to a church, while 宣教師 refers to someone sent out specifically to spread religion, not necessarily ordained clergy.

Counted with

人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).
名めいN2
More formal than 人 — used for headcounts in reservations, staff lists, and announcements (5名様).

Word family

モルモン宣せん教きょう師し
Mormon missionary

Built from

宣せん+教きょう師し

Etymology

Compound of 宣教 (せんきょう, 'propagation of a religion') + 師 (し, 'teacher, master'). The word was coined in Japanese to translate the Western concept of a missionary.