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枢機卿 (すうききょう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

枢すう機き卿きょう

also: すうきけい

す

う

き

きょ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

cardinal (Catholic Church)

Christianity

Refers specifically to a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church, part of the College of Cardinals.

枢すう機き卿きょうは教きょう皇こうを選せん出しゅつする会かい議ぎに参さん加かする。
The cardinals participate in the conclave to elect the pope.

彼かれは昨さく年ねん、枢すう機き卿きょうに任にん命めいされた。

He was appointed a cardinal last year.

Written forms

枢機卿
- すうききょう
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading すうききょう is the most common.
- すうきけい
  Alternate reading; less common than すうききょう.
すうきけい

Kanji

枢hinge, pivot, door
機loom, mechanism, machine
卿you, lord, secretary

Similar words

教きょう皇こう
教皇 is the pope, the head of the Catholic Church, while 枢機卿 is a cardinal who advises the pope and elects a new pope.
司し教きょう
司教 is a bishop, a lower rank than cardinal; cardinals are often chosen from among bishops.

Etymology

From Chinese 樞機卿, where 樞機 means 'pivot' or 'essential mechanism' and 卿 is a title for high officials. The term was adopted in Japanese to translate the Catholic concept of 'cardinal'.