na-adjective, noun
respectfulness and modesty; deference
A formal, literary term describing an attitude of humble respect and courteous restraint. Rare in modern conversation; mostly encountered in classical or formal written contexts.
彼の恭倹な態度は、古い武士道を思わせる。
His respectful and modest demeanor is reminiscent of the old way of the samurai.
Compound of 恭 (respectful, reverent) and 倹 (frugal, modest). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the combined meaning of respectful modesty.