swastika

swastika — noun

1. A symbol shaped like a cross with four arms that each turn at a right angle, ado

1.名詞B2
釋義

A symbol shaped like a cross with four arms that each turn at a right angle, adopted by Hitler's Nazi party in the early twentieth century as a sign of antisemitism and of the claim that Caucasians rank above all other races. In present-day contexts, showing this symbol is widely understood as endorsing those same hateful ideas.

例句

Walid found an old photograph of Nazi soldiers carrying a swastika flag through Berlin.

collocation: swastika flag

Several European countries have laws that make it illegal to display a swastika in public.

verb collocation: display a swastika

同義詞
  • Nazi symbol

    descriptive term that avoids the Sanskrit origin; more neutral in tone

  • hooked cross

    descriptive shape-based term sometimes used to avoid the charged word 'swastika'; less common in everyday speech

  • hakenkreuz

    the German name for the Nazi symbol; used in historical discussions, rarely in general English

文法句型

the swastika

a swastika

swastika + noun (as modifier)

用法筆記

This symbol is extremely offensive to Jewish people and to many others who suffered under Nazi rule. Displaying it in public is illegal in Germany, France, Austria, and several other European countries. In English, the word 'swastika' most commonly refers to this Nazi version; when the ancient religious symbol is meant, speakers usually add context to avoid confusion.

常見錯誤

❌He decorated his room with a swastika because he thought it looked interesting.
✅He decorated his room with a swastika, not realising how deeply offensive the symbol is to many people.
💡In the modern Western world, a swastika is never a neutral or purely decorative image.
❌The Buddhist swastika and the Nazi swastika are the same thing.
✅The Buddhist swastika and the Nazi swastika share the same shape but have completely opposite meanings.
💡The shape alone should not be confused with the meaning.

2. A symbol with the same bent-arm cross shape that has been used for thousands of

2.名詞B2
釋義

A symbol with the same bent-arm cross shape that has been used for thousands of years in Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions, where it stands for good fortune, peace, and spiritual well-being. This ancient meaning is entirely separate from its use as a Nazi symbol.

例句

Gita admired the golden swastika carved into the wooden altar of the Buddhist temple.

collocation: swastika carved into [surface]

In Hindu weddings, a swastika drawn on the floor with powder brings good luck.

active construction: swastika brings good luck

同義詞
  • manji (卍)

    Japanese name for the religious symbol; used in English mostly in discussions of Japanese culture and Buddhism

  • wan (卍/卐)

    Chinese name (pinyin: wàn); used in English to refer to the symbol in Chinese cultural contexts

  • auspicious symbol

    descriptive term emphasising the positive meaning in Asian traditions

文法句型

a swastika

the swastika

swastika + noun (as modifier)

用法筆記

In English, the word 'swastika' can cause confusion because it refers to both this ancient religious symbol and the Nazi hate symbol. Speakers often add clarifying phrases such as 'the Buddhist swastika,' 'the Hindu swastika,' or 'the religious swastika' to make clear which meaning is intended. In Asia, the symbol is generally oriented flat (one arm pointing up, one down) and may be written as 卍 in Chinese script.

常見錯誤

❌The swastika is always a symbol of hate.
✅The swastika has two very different meanings: a hate symbol used by the Nazis and an ancient religious symbol of good fortune in Eastern religions.
💡The context determines which meaning applies.
❌The Nazi swastika and the Hindu swastika face opposite directions, so they are different symbols.
✅Both the Nazi and the Hindu swastikas can face either direction; what matters is the historical and cultural context, not the orientation of the arms.
💡Orientation alone does not distinguish them.