rabbi

rabbi — noun

1. a person who serves as a spiritual guide and teacher within the Jewish community

1.名詞B1
釋義

a person who serves as a spiritual guide and teacher within the Jewish community, often leading worship sessions and giving advice on religious matters.

例句

Rabbi Tamar led the Friday evening service at the synagogue last week.

title + full name, religious leadership role

The young couple met with Rabbi Kian to discuss their wedding ceremony.

role in lifecycle events

同義詞
  • cleric

    a broader term for any ordained religious leader; less specific to Judaism

  • spiritual leader

    focuses on the guidance aspect; works across faiths

  • teacher

    captures the educational role of a rabbi but omits the religious leadership

反義詞
  • layperson

    a member of the congregation who is not ordained

文法句型

Rabbi + [Name]

the + rabbi

用法筆記

Frequently used as a title placed directly before a full name (Rabbi Cohen) or with an article (the rabbi of our synagogue). The plural form is rabbis.

常見錯誤

❌The rabbi is like a Catholic priest.
✅The rabbi is a teacher and spiritual leader in Judaism, but does not perform sacraments the way a priest does.
💡The roles of rabbi and priest differ significantly across religious traditions.

2. a title used to show respect for a Jewish teacher or spiritual guide, recognisin

2.名詞B2
釋義

a title used to show respect for a Jewish teacher or spiritual guide, recognising their wisdom and knowledge.

例句

The students called their wise teacher Rabbi Stefan out of deep respect.

honorific use of title

Rabbi Sirin helped the group understand the meaning of the old stories.

mentoring role as teacher

同義詞
  • teacher

    general term for someone who instructs; less formal than 'rabbi'

  • mentor

    emphasises guidance and personal development

  • master

    older term implying deep mastery of a subject; used in some Jewish contexts

反義詞
  • student

    someone who learns rather than teaches

文法句型

call + [someone] + Rabbi

Rabbi + [Name]

用法筆記

In this sense, 'rabbi' functions as an honorific title rather than a formal religious position. It may be used by students who hold their teacher in exceptionally high regard, even outside a synagogue setting.

常見錯誤

❌My biology teacher is a rabbi.
✅My biology teacher is called Rabbi by his students because of his wisdom.
💡In Jewish tradition, 'rabbi' is a specific title connected to religious teaching, not a general term for any teacher.

3. a person who has studied Jewish legal traditions thoroughly and can interpret re

3.名詞C1
釋義

a person who has studied Jewish legal traditions thoroughly and can interpret religious laws for a community or congregation.

例句

Rabbi Manuela spent two weeks studying a single passage of Jewish law.

scholarly study of law

When a question about religious rules arose, the community turned to Rabbi Jisoo.

authority on religious legal questions

同義詞
  • jurist

    emphasises legal expertise; usually refers to civil law rather than religious law

  • scholar

    broader term for an academic expert

  • authority

    highlights the recognised expertise of the person

反義詞
  • novice

    a beginner in studying Jewish law

文法句型

Rabbi + [Name] + specialised in [area of law]

用法筆記

This sense emphasises scholarly expertise in halacha (Jewish law). In modern contexts, it frequently overlaps with sense 1, as most congregational rabbis are also trained in Jewish legal interpretation.

常見錯誤

❌The rabbi argued the case in civil court.
✅The rabbi explained how Jewish law applies to business ethics.
💡A rabbi's legal authority lies in religious (halachic) law, not secular or civil law.