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Kotomora

徳

benevolence, virtue, goodness, commanding respect

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • トク

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • あつ
  • なる
  • のり
  • ゆき
  • よし

Meaning

徳 centers on inner moral excellence that earns respect: benevolence, virtue, and goodness that naturally command admiration.

Most common words using 徳

20 of 195
  • 徳島とくしま

    Tokushima (city, prefecture)

  • 道徳どうとく
    N3

    morals; morality

  • 徳とく

    virtue

  • 悪徳あくとく

    vice; immorality; corruption

  • 背徳はいとく

    corruption; immorality; lapse from virtue; fall from virtue

  • 美徳びとく

    virtue

  • 徳用とくよう

    economical

  • 功徳くどく

    merit; virtuous deed; act of merit; act of charity

  • 不道徳ふどうとく

    immorality; iniquity; impropriety

  • 行徳ぎょうとく

    virtue gained by practising Buddhism

  • 人徳じんとく

    natural virtue; personal virtue

  • 徳利とっくり

    sake bottle; tall and slender bottle with a narrow mouth made from ceramic, metal or glass that can be used for sake, shoyu or rice vinegar

  • 徳間書店とくましょてん

    Tokuma Shoten (publisher)

  • 明徳めいとく

    virtue

  • 道徳心どうとくしん

    moral sense

  • 高徳こうとく

    saintliness; great virtue; eminent virtue

  • 三徳さんとく

    three cardinal virtues (wisdom, benevolence and valour (valor))

  • 福徳ふくとく

    fortune; happiness and prosperity

  • 報徳ほうとく

    repayment of someone's kindness; showing one's gratitude; moral requital

  • 一徳いっとく

    virtue

Explore all words using 徳 →

Study

Etymology

徳 is the modern simplified form of 德. The older form combines 彳 (step/action) with 悳 (upright heart), suggesting moral conduct arising from an upright heart. The modern form retains 彳 and simplifies the right side to 十 over 心.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 彳 suggests a path or action, and the right side has 十 (ten) over 心 (heart). Picture a person whose heart follows ten virtuous principles, walking a path of benevolence that commands respect.

Reading mnemonic

For トク, imagine a person of great virtue giving a talk on goodness: talk -> トク, and their words command respect.