Confucius

American  

[kuhn-fyoo-shuhs] / kənˈfju 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

See Examples For:

Confucius

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

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

FBI Director Christopher Wray has described China’s Confucius Institutes as an element of Beijing’s attempts to wield its soft power.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 31, 2023

Beijing projects soft power and positions itself as a leader in the Global South, paying for thousands of Chinese university scholarships, cultural exchange programmes and Confucius Institutes.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2023

At sixty, said Confucius, I was no longer argumentative.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen