宣教
せんきょう · senkyou · JLPT N1 · noun
mission
📢 宣 = proclaim + 教 = teaching: proclaiming a faith's teachings to others
宣 means proclaim or announce, and 教 means teaching or religion. Together they describe spreading a faith by announcing its teachings to people who have not heard them.
教 — 老 (filial son being taught) + 攵 (hand with stick)
教 originally depicted an adult holding a stick or rod (攵) instructing a child, often shown with the element 爻 (lessons/counting) above 子 (child). It is a classic associative compound meaning 'to teach' or 'to instruct,' with the right side suggesting discipline and guidance. The modern meanings 'teach, religion, doctrine' all extend from this image of formal instruction.