also: りつぎ
na-adjective, noun
upright; honest; conscientious; faithful
Describes a person who is scrupulously honest, keeps promises, and follows rules or obligations with a sincere, sometimes overly rigid, sense of duty.
彼は律義な性格で、約束は必ず守る。
He has an upright character and always keeps his promises.
律義に毎日、日記
I conscientiously keep a diary every day.
Rare reading; りちぎ is overwhelmingly more common.
Alternate kanji form; 律義 is more common in modern usage.
Kana spelling is sometimes used, especially in casual writing.
Originally a Buddhist term meaning 'observing the precepts' (律儀), later extended to mean 'upright' or 'faithful' in general. The kanji 律 (law/rule) and 義 (righteousness) reflect the sense of strict moral adherence.