four ordinal directions
Refers to the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) or the four corners. Often used in classical or technical contexts such as geography, cosmology, or traditional Chinese thought. Compare 四隅 (よすみ) for 'four corners' in a more physical sense.
See also: 四隅
In ancient Chinese cosmology, 四維 refers to the four corners of heaven and earth.
four cardinal principles of the state
Only with reading しい
From the Chinese classic Guanzi. The four principles are propriety (礼), justice (義), integrity (廉), and sense of shame (恥). This is a specialized historical and philosophical term, not used in everyday Japanese.
In the Guanzi, the four cardinal principles are considered the foundation of the state.
From Chinese 四維 (sìwéi), literally 'four ties' or 'four dimensions'. The term was adopted into Japanese with the reading しい. The second sense derives from the Chinese classic Guanzi.