religion · sect

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 宗 appears in words about religion and religious branches; its on-reading is しゅう.
• Basic usage: 宗教（しゅうきょう） means religion, while 宗派（しゅうは） means a sect or denomination within a religion.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A religion and its branches
  • 世界の宗教 refers to the religions of the world. 宗教の違い refers to differences between religions.
  • 宗派 refers to branches that may have different practices even within Buddhism. On a temple's information board, 宗派 identifies the branch to which the temple belongs.