徳
benevolence, virtue, goodness, commanding respect
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
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.