1.
Buddhist — a person who follows or practices Buddhism
A person who professes Buddhism as their religion or practices it as a way of life. The suffix 徒 attaches to religions to designate an adherent (as in キリスト教徒 'Christian', イスラム教徒 'Muslim'). In Japan, formal religious affiliation is often loose, so 仏教徒 is more commonly heard in news, surveys, and descriptions of other countries than as a personal self-identification.
Compound of 仏教 ('Buddhism') and the suffix 徒 ('adherent, follower').
Usage
- Used to refer to adherents of Buddhism in general, whether in Japan or abroad. The word is neutral and descriptive.
- In Japan, many people are culturally and ritually connected to Buddhism (through family temples, funerals, and holidays) but do not self-identify as 仏教徒 in daily speech. The word tends to appear in formal, academic, or international contexts.
- The pattern X教徒 is used for adherents of other religions as well: キリスト教徒 (Christian), イスラム教徒 (Muslim), ヒンドゥー教徒 (Hindu).
Common collocations
- 敬虔な仏教徒: a devout Buddhist
- 仏教徒の家庭: a Buddhist household
- 仏教徒人口: Buddhist population
- 仏教徒になる: to become a Buddhist
Similar words
- 仏教: Buddhism — the religion itself, not the adherent.
- 信者: believer, follower of a religion — a more general word that can be combined with a religion's name (仏教の信者).
- お坊さん: Buddhist monk — a member of the clergy, not a lay follower.