tông phái
Definition
- Noun:
- A religious sect or denomination: A distinct group within a larger religion, characterized by its own specific doctrines, practices, and lineage of teachers or masters. This is the most common and precise meaning.
- A school of thought or a faction: Can be extended to refer to a distinct group,流派, within a philosophical, martial, or artistic tradition, emphasizing a specific lineage or methodology.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Phật giáo có nhiều tông phái khác nhau, như Thiền tông và Tịnh độ tông. (Buddhism has many different sects, such as Zen and Pure Land.)
- Võ thuật Trung Hoa phân thành vô số tông phái. (Chinese martial arts are divided into countless schools.)
- Hai tông phái này có cách tu hành hoàn toàn khác biệt. (These two sects have completely different methods of practice.)
Advanced Usage
- The term strongly implies a historical lineage or a tradition passed down from a founder or through a specific master-disciple relationship. It is more specific than a general "group" or "organization."
Variants and Related Words
- Giáo phái (n): Often used interchangeably with "tông phái," but can sometimes carry a slightly more neutral or broader connotation of a religious sect or cult.
- Môn phái (n): Commonly used for schools of martial arts or specific crafts, emphasizing the "school" or "style" aspect.
Synonyms
- Sect: A subgroup of a religious body, often with distinctive beliefs.
- Denomination: A recognized autonomous branch of a larger religion, especially in Christianity.
- School: A group of people sharing similar philosophical, artistic, or methodological principles.
Related Concepts
- Tông (n): Can mean sect, lineage, or essential principle. "Tông phái" combines this with "phái" (faction, group).
- Phái (n): Faction, group, or branch.