A moral or emotional indebtedness for a favor received; often used in formal or serious contexts.
I owe him a great debt of gratitude.
恩義を感じて、その仕事を引き受けた。
Feeling a sense of obligation, I accepted the job.
恩義 stresses the debt of gratitude owed for a specific kindness received, while 義理 covers the broader social obligation to maintain proper relations with others.
恩義 is a formal term for a moral obligation or debt of gratitude, whereas 負い目 is more about a personal, often uncomfortable emotional burden.
恩義 specifically means a debt of gratitude owed to a particular person for a kindness, while 恩恵 is the broader benefit or advantage itself, not the obligation to repay it.
Standard kanji form; used in news and general writing.
Rarely used kanji form; 誼 is not a jōyō kanji.
Compound of 恩 (favor, kindness) and 義 (righteousness, duty). The combination conveys a sense of moral indebtedness arising from a received kindness.