教

jiào

teach, instruction, doctrine; to instruct or command

Meaning

  • Verb: To teach or instruct; can extend to "tell," "command," or "order." The sense often emphasizes the shaping of behavior or correction of conduct.
  • Noun: A system of instruction, teaching, doctrine, or school of thought (including systems of ritual and moral conduct). In later strata, this develops into the sense of organized religion.

Grammar and usage

  • Causative Construction: Often functions as a transitive verb introducing a subordinate clause: Instruct [person] → to [perform action].

Distinctions

  • Pedagogical vs. Imperative: The intended sense is often clarified by surrounding glyphs; proximity to 導 (lead/guide) suggests instruction, while proximity to 令 (command) suggests a directive.

History and forms

  • Variant: 敎 (U+654E).

Graphical notes

  • The presence of the "strike" radical (攵/攴) underscores a historical association between instruction and corrective discipline.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.