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美徳 (びとく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

美び徳とく

び

と

く

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

virtue; moral excellence

Refers to a morally good quality or trait, often in ethical, philosophical, or everyday contexts.

正しょう直じきは美び徳とくの一ひとつだ。
Honesty is one of the virtues.
彼かれは美び徳とくを重おもんじる人じん物ぶつとして知しられている。
He is known as a person who values virtue.

Kanji

美beauty, beautiful
徳benevolence, virtue, goodness

Similar words

徳とく
徳 is a broader term for virtue, moral goodness, or benevolence, often used in philosophical or religious contexts. 美徳 specifically emphasizes admirable, beautiful qualities.
善ぜん
善 means 'good' in a general moral sense, while 美徳 refers to a specific virtuous trait or quality.

Etymology

Compound of 美 (beauty) and 徳 (virtue), literally 'beautiful virtue'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has been used in Japanese to denote admirable moral qualities.