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JLPT N113画 · 13 strokesradical 羊grade 5freq #415

righteousness, justice, morality, honor

Also: loyalty, meaning

On'yomi (音読み)

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

Mnemonic

As the sheep (羊) grazes peacefully, it symbolizes the righteousness and honor that comes from living a life of morality.

About this kanji

The kanji 義 (ぎ) primarily represents concepts such as righteousness, justice, and morality. It is commonly used in noun forms rather than verbs. Some typical compounds include 意義 (いぎ), meaning 'meaning,' which is often used when discussing the significance of something; 義務 (ぎむ), meaning 'duty,' which refers to obligations or responsibilities; and 正義 (せいぎ), meaning 'justice,' often used in moral contexts. A helpful note is that 義 conveys a sense of honor and loyalty in relationships, reflecting the importance of ethical principles in Japanese culture.

Example sentences

  • 彼の言葉に深い義がある。

    There is a deep meaning in his words.

Meanings across languages

English
righteousness, justice, morality, honor, loyalty, meaning
Tiếng Việt
chính nghĩa, công lý, đạo đức, danh dự, trung thành, nghĩa
日本語
義, 正義, 道徳, 名誉, 忠誠, 意味
한국어
정의, 정의, 도덕, 명예, 충성, 의미
中文
正义, 公正, 道德, 荣誉, 忠诚, 意义
id
keadilan, moralitas
th
ความถูกต้อง, ความยุติธรรม
es
justicia, honor
fr
justice, honneur
de
Recht, Gerechtigkeit
pt
justiça, moral

Common compounds

  • 意義いぎmeaning, significance
  • 義務ぎむduty, obligation, responsibility
  • 講義こうぎlecture
  • 主義しゅぎdoctrine, rule, principle
  • 正義せいぎjustice, right, righteousness
  • 定義ていぎdefinition
  • 名義めいぎname (esp. on a deed, contract, work, etc.), formal name, published name
  • 主義者しゅぎしゃadvocate (of a theory or principle), ideologist, ideologue

Want to actually learn this kanji?

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