distinguished service; meritorious service
Formal noun for outstanding contributions, often in military or public service contexts.
He achieved many meritorious deeds on the battlefield.
He was awarded a medal for his distinguished service on the battlefield.
She left behind a great legacy of achievement in the field of science.
功労 stresses the effort and toil behind one's contribution, while 勲 is a more elevated, literary term for the resulting distinguished service itself.
手柄 is an everyday word for a heroic feat or accomplishment, while 勲 is a formal, literary term reserved for weightier meritorious service.
勲章 is the physical medal or decoration awarded for merit, while 勲 is the abstract meritorious service or achievement itself, not the object.
Standard kanji spelling for distinguished service.
Alternate kanji spelling; less common than 勲 for this meaning.
The kanji 勲 and 功 both relate to merit or achievement. The reading いさお is of native Japanese origin, but its exact derivation is uncertain.