洗せん礼れい

せ

ん

れ

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

baptism; christening

Christianity

Christian religious rite of initiation. Used in church contexts.

彼かれ

は

先せん

週しゅう

、

教きょう

会かい

で

洗せん

礼れい

を

受う

け

た

。

He was baptized at church last week.

2

noun

initiation; baptism (into a group)

Figurative use for joining a society, profession, or group, often involving a challenging first experience.

新しん人じん研けん修しゅうは会かい社しゃへの洗せん礼れいのようなものだ。
The new employee training is like an initiation into the company.

3

noun

first experience; baptism by fire

Refers to a tough or memorable first encounter with something, often used in phrases like 洗礼を受ける.

初はじめての海かい外がい出しゅっ張ちょうで、言こと葉ばの壁かべの洗せん礼れいを受うけた。
On my first overseas business trip, I got a baptism by fire with the language barrier.

Usage patterns

洗せん礼れいを受うけるto be baptized; to undergo a tough first experience
彼かれはプロの世せ界かいで厳きびしい洗せん礼れいを受うけた。
He got a harsh baptism into the professional world.
洗せん礼れいを施ほどこすto administer baptism (to someone)
神しん父ぷが幼おさない子こ供どもに洗せん礼れいを施ほどこした。
The priest baptized the young child.
〈事こと〉の洗せん礼れいを受うけるto be initiated (roughly) into X; to get one's first taste of X
新しん人じんはデビュー戦せんでファンの洗せん礼れいを受うけた。
The rookie got baptized by the fans in his debut match.

Kanji

洗wash, inquire into, probe
礼salute, bow, ceremony

Related words

通つう過か儀ぎ礼れい sense 2
通過儀礼 is the neutral anthropological term for a rite of passage, while 洗礼 (figurative sense) implies a tougher, more sudden trial upon entering a group.
試し練れん sense 3
試練 means a trial or ordeal in general, while 洗礼 in this sense specifically frames a first hard experience as a kind of baptism.
入にゅう信しん sense 1
入信 refers to converting to or joining a religious faith, whereas 洗礼 is the specific ritual act performed at that point.

Don't confuse with

先せん例れいN1
洗礼 (baptism/initiation) and 先例 (precedent) are pronounced identically but are completely unrelated in meaning, so context is essential.
洗せん練れんN2
洗練 (せんれん) means refinement or polish, while 洗礼 (せんれい) means baptism; the words look and sound alike but are unrelated in meaning.

Word family· 7

再さい洗せん礼れい
rebaptism; anabaptism
洗せん礼れい名めい
Christian name; baptismal name
洗せん礼れい堂どう
baptistery; baptistry

Etymology

From 洗 (wash, purify) and 礼 (rite, ceremony), referring to the Christian rite of baptism. The figurative senses developed from the idea of a purifying or initiating experience.

洗せん礼れい式しき

baptismal ceremony; baptism

洗せん礼れい盤ばん

baptismal font

Show 2 more

洗せん礼れい者しゃ
baptist; baptizer
幼よう児じ洗せん礼れい
infant baptism; pedobaptism