操みさお

also: そう

み

さ

お

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

fidelity; constancy; honor

Refers to unwavering loyalty, integrity, or moral steadfastness, often in a somewhat literary or formal context.

彼かれは生しょう涯がい、自みずからの操みさおを貫つらぬいた。
He remained true to his principles throughout his life.

noun

chastity; faithfulness (of a woman)

Specifically refers to a woman's sexual fidelity or faithfulness to her husband. Often used in traditional or literary contexts.

昔むかしの女じょ性せいは夫おっとへの操みさおを何なによりも重おもんじた。
Women in the past valued faithfulness to their husbands above all else.

See all 10 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

操みさおを汚けがすto violate/sully one's chastity or honor
彼かの女じょは決けっして操みさおを汚けがすことはなかった。
She never let her chastity be violated.
操みさおが堅かたいto be firmly faithful or of unshakable integrity
彼かの女じょは操みさおが堅かたい人ひととして知しられていた。
She was known as a woman of unshakable fidelity.

Expressions

操みさおを守まもるadhere to one's principles; preserve one's chastity
操みさおを立たてるadhere firmly to one's principles; stick to one's beliefs · keep one's chastity; remain faithful to one's spouse

Kanji

操maneuver, manipulate, operate

Related words

貞てい操そう sense 2
貞操 is the more common everyday compound for chastity, while 操（みさお）is a rarer, more literary word with the same core meaning.
節せっ操そう sense 1
節操 stresses consistency of one's principles or convictions, while 操（みさお）leans more toward personal moral or sexual fidelity.
忠ちゅう誠せい sense 1
忠誠 means loyalty to a person, group, or cause, whereas 操（みさお）emphasizes an individual's inner moral constancy.

Opposites

不ふ貞てい sense 2
不貞 means infidelity or unchastity, the direct opposite of the faithfulness described by 操（みさお）.

Don't confuse with

操あやつるN1
操る shares the kanji 操 but is read あやつる and means 'to manipulate or control,' unrelated to the fidelity sense of 操（みさお）.

Written forms

操Usage<1%
- みさお
  Standard kanji form for the reading みさお. High-frequency news kanji.
- そう
  Alternate reading そう is rare and mostly found in compounds or classical contexts.
そうUsage100%
ミサオUsage<1%

Etymology

The kanji 操 carries meanings of 'manipulate' or 'conduct', but in this reading みさお it is used for moral steadfastness. The exact derivation of みさお is uncertain; it may be a native Japanese word later associated with this kanji.