Meaning and Usage
"教会" (きょうかい) primarily means "church," referring to a Christian place of worship. It is commonly used in everyday conversation when talking about religious services, church buildings, or church-related activities.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "教会" in contexts such as attending worship services, volunteering, or describing church events. It can also refer to the physical building or the community of believers.
Collocations and Patterns
- 教会で礼拝 (きょうかいでれいはい): worship at church, used when talking about attending services.
- 教会のボランティア (きょうかいのボランティア): church volunteer, referring to people helping out at church.
- 教会の鐘 (きょうかいのかね): church bell, often mentioned in descriptions of church surroundings or traditions.
Register and Nuance
"教会" is a neutral term and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is specific to Christian churches and is not used for other religious buildings like temples (寺) or shrines (神社).
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "教会" with "協会" (きょうかい), which means "association" or "society." Pay attention to the kanji and context to avoid this confusion.