Confucius

American  

[kuhn-fyoo-shuhs] / kənˈfyu ʃəs /

noun

1. Kǔng Qiū, 551? b.c.–478? b.c., Chinese philosopher and teacher.

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Confucius British  

/ kənˈfjuːʃəs /

noun

1. Chinese name Kong Zi or K'ung Fu-tse. 551–479 _bc , Chinese philosopher and teacher of ethics (see Confucianism ). His doctrines were compiled after his death under the title The Analects of Confucius

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Confucius Cultural  

1. A Chinese philosopher of the sixth century b.c.; the founder of Confucianism. His teachings have come down to us as a collection of short sayings.

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Etymology

Origin of Confucius

First recorded in 1770–80; Latinization of Chinese Kǔng Fūzǐ “Master Kung” (birth name Kǔng Qiū ) by European Jesuits in China in the 17th century

Example Sentences

Some academics also reported intimidation by visiting scholars or other Chinese officials, as well as by staff at Confucius Institutes.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

In her book, Dunlop cites one of her readers suggesting that Beijing could more effectively project its soft power by "changing its controversial overseas Confucius Institutes into top-notch Chinese restaurants".

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2025

Joan of Arc is an angsty Goth, and Confucius is sweet and a little dim, with a fondness for social media.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 29, 2024

The GAO report played down national security concerns regarding the institutes, noting that the FBI does not regard Confucius Institutes as a national security threat.

From Washington Times • Oct. 31, 2023

She could find descriptions of phenomena in ancient writings—the Green Phoenix stories, “The Seven Strange Tales of the Golden Bottle,” “What Confucius Did Not Talk About.”

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston