Confucius

Borrowed from Latin Confucius, from Mandarin 孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ, “Master Kong”).

• (US) IPA^(key): /kənˈfju.ʃəs/

Confucius

1. An influential Chinese philosopher who lived 551 B.C.E. – 479 B.C.E.; personal name Kong Qiu (孔丘).
   • 1738, “Annals of the Chinese Monarchs”, in A Description of the Empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, Together with the Kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet‎, volume I, London, translation of original by J. B. du Halde, →OCLC, page 167:

     The thirty eighth Year of the Cycle Confucius was preferr’d for his great Merit to be Prime Miniſter of the Kingdom of Lû, his native Country. Thro’ his wiſe Counſel the Face of Affairs was ſoon chang'd throughout the Land ; he reform’d the Abuſes that had crept into it, and reſtor’d Honeſty in dealing ; he taught young Men to reſpect the old, and honour their Parents, even after their Deceaſe ; he inſpir’d the fair Sex with Mildneſs and Chaſtity ; and caus’d Sincerity, Uprightneſs, and all other civil Virtues to prevail among the People.

   • 1977, Thomas P. Bernstein, “Mobilizing Urban Youth to Go to the Countryside”, in Up to the Mountains and Down to the Villages: The Transfer of Youth from Urban to Rural China‎, Yale University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 98:

     Applicants to higher schools had to pass entrance examinations reminiscent of those administered before 1966. This change, which came under attack in the fall of 1973 during the campaign to criticize Lin Piao and Confucius, pleased middle school teachers in No. 6 Middle School in Tan-tung, Liaoning.

2. (very rare) A male given name from Latin.

• Kongzi, Kong Zi, K'ung-tzu

• Confucian
• Confucianism
• Confucianist

• Laozi

Borrowed from Latin Confucius, from Mandarin 孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ, “Master Kong”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌkɔnˈfy.si.ʏs/

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• Hyphenation: Con‧fu‧ci‧us

Confucius m

1. Confucius

• confucianisme

Borrowed from Latin Cōnfucius, from Mandarin 孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ, “Master Kong”).

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.fy.sjys/

Confucius m

1. Confucius

• Confūtius

From Mandarin 孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ, “Master Kong”).

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /konˈfuː.ki.us/, [kõːˈfuːkiʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /konˈfu.t͡ʃi.us/, [koɱˈfuːt͡ʃius]

Cōnfūcius m sg (genitive Cōnfūciī or Cōnfūcī); second declension

1. Confucius
   • 1687, Philippe Couplet, Confucius, Sinarum Philosophus:

     CUM FU CU, ſive Confucius quem Sinenſes uti Principem Philoſophiæ ſuæ ſequuntur, […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1698, Johann Jacob Hofmann, Lexicon Universale:

     CONFUTIUS, dictus Socrates Sinenſis, tum quia huic σύγχρονος, tum quia morum imprimis Doctrinam excoluit.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1826, Stanislas Julien translating Mencius, Meng Tseu‎, page 46:

     Confucius aiebat…

     Confucius said…

Second-declension noun, singular only.

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).