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enter the priesthood
enter the priesthood 是固定搭配，表示成为神职人员，通常指正式担任圣职。
He entered the priesthood at the age of thirty.
他三十岁时进入神职界。
神职人员
priesthoods — plural of priesthood
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
神职人员
the body of ordained religious practitioners
He entered the priesthood at the age of thirty.
他三十岁时进入神职界。
祭司的职责或职位；神职。
The role or office of a priest.
被任命的宗教从业者团体
the body of ordained religious practitioners
神职人员的群体。
Priests as a group.
以神或泛指神的名义行事的权力
Authority to act in the name of God or the divine in general.
The priesthood in this region is known for its dedicated work with young people.
这个地区的神职人员以致力于年轻人的工作而闻名。
Every summer, the local priesthood organizes a free health clinic for the community.
每年夏天，当地的神职人员都会为社区组织一次免费健康检查。
The priesthoods of neighboring parishes held a joint prayer service during the holiday.
邻近堂区的神职人员在节日期间举行了联合祈祷仪式。
enter the priesthood 是固定搭配，表示成为神职人员，通常指正式担任圣职。
He entered the priesthood at the age of thirty.
他三十岁时进入神职界。
此结构常用被动语态，强调授予圣职的仪式或过程。
She was ordained to the priesthood in a formal ceremony.
她在一次正式仪式中被授予祭司职。
priesthood 在此为集体名词，指全体神职人员。
As a member of the priesthood, he performs daily rituals.
作为神职界的一员，他每天执行仪式。
Not this
She decided to become a priesthood.
Use this
She decided to become a priest.
priesthood 是集体名词，指「神职人员」整体或「祭司职位」，不能指单个的人；指一个人要用 priest。改为 priest 后与 become 搭配才符合英语表达。
Not this
After college, he entered priesthood.
Use this
After college, he entered the priesthood.
priesthood 表示「祭司/牧师的职位」这一特定身份时，通常与定冠词 the 连用，构成 enter/join the priesthood 的固定搭配。去掉 the 不符合英语习惯。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
进入神职界；成为神职人员
After years of study, he decided to enter the priesthood.
经过多年的学习，他决定成为神职人员。
天主教神职体系；天主教神职人员
She has written widely about the history of the Catholic priesthood.
她就天主教神职人员的历史写了大量文章。
被授予圣职；被按立为神父
He was ordained to the priesthood in 2010.
他于2010年被按立为神父。
担任神职的呼召；圣召
At the age of twenty, he felt a call to the priesthood.
他二十岁时感到自己蒙召担任神职。
脱离神职；还俗
He left the priesthood after twenty years.
二十年后，他脱离了神职。
惟有你们是被拣选的族类，是有君尊的祭司。
The King James Bible calls all believers 'a royal priesthood.'
英王钦定本圣经称所有信徒为“君尊的祭司”。
发短 /ʊ/ 音 (如 good, book)
Use priesthoods naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
priest(神父) + hood(可联想头巾)：想象一群神父戴着头巾聚在一起，这个集体就是 priesthood 神职人员。
语域：formal 常见场景：宗教研究、新闻报道、正式演讲 priesthood 表示“神职人员（总称）”时，多用于正式或书面语境，如宗教、历史或学术讨论；日常口语中更常说 priests。
以上词都以 /hʊd/ 结尾，与 priesthood 构成真正的尾韵。注意：wood、would 读 /wʊd/，首音是 /w/，不要被 hood 的拼写误导；hood 单独作名词时也读 /hʊd/，但 priesthood 中的 h 要清晰发音，不要读成 /ˈpristwʊd/。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.