説法|せっぽうseppou[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, Buddhismlecture; sermon; preaching
- noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbscolding; preaching; moralizing; moralising
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 説法する（せっぽうする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 説法します（せっぽうします） |
| Negative (nai) | 説法しない（せっぽうしない） |
| polite (masen) | 説法しません（せっぽうしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 説法せず・説法せぬ（せっぽうせず・せっぽうせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 説法した（せっぽうした） |
| polite (mashita) | 説法しました（せっぽうしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 説法しなかった（せっぽうしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 説法しませんでした（せっぽうしませんでした） |
| Te form | 説法して（せっぽうして） |
| Potential | 説法できる（せっぽうできる） |
| Passive | 説法される（せっぽうされる） |
| Causative | 説法させる（せっぽうさせる） |
| Causative passive | 説法させられる（せっぽうさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 説法すれば（せっぽうすれば） |
| tara | 説法したら（せっぽうしたら） |
| Volitional | 説法しよう（せっぽうしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 説法しましょう（せっぽうしましょう） |
| Imperative | 説法しろ（せっぽうしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym説教せっきょうNeutralPreaching in general, but in everyday speech it usually means a scolding from a parent or senior, as in 「説教される」; 説法 stays closer to a monk expounding Buddhist law.
- Synonym法話ほうわWrittenA written term for a monk's talk on Buddhist teachings, as in 「住職の法話」; close to 説法 but milder in tone.
- Synonym説経せっきょうWrittenWritten word: a monk expounding the sutras to guide people; later also the storytelling art 「説経節」. Rarely used.
- Synonym談義だんぎCasualColloquial: a chat or discussion, but also a long-winded lecture, as in 「長談義」; 説法 centers on preaching Buddhism.
- Synonym教化きょうけWrittenTeaching and morally reforming people, as in 「教化活動」; 説法 is about expounding Buddhist law itself.
- Synonym唱導しょうどうWrittenWritten word: chanting sutras to lead people to the Buddhist faith; now very rare.
- Synonym法談ほうだんWrittenWritten word for expounding the essentials of Buddhist law; rare — people normally say 「法話」 or 「説法」.
- Related教化きょうかWrittenTeaching and morally reforming people, as in 「教化活動」; 説法 is about expounding Buddhist law itself.
- Related唱道しょうどうWrittenWritten: taking the lead in advocating a cause, as in 「改革を唱道する」; not specifically about preaching Buddhism.
- Related教誨きょうかいFormalFormal: moral instruction; today mostly a chaplain's guidance to prison inmates, as in 「教誨師」.
For a monk expounding Buddhism use 「説法」 or 「法話」; 説法 also figuratively means lecturing someone with reasoning, as in 「釈迦に説法」. For a scolding from a parent or senior use 「説教」, and for a prison chaplain's guidance 「教誨」. 説経, 教化, 談義, 唱道, 唱導 and 法談 are rarer or narrower.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
