七しち生しょう報ほう国こく

noun

unfailing devotion to one's country; serving one's country for seven lives

A yojijukugo expressing the samurai ideal of repaying one's country with loyalty across multiple lifetimes. The literal meaning is 'seven lives, serve the country'. It is strongly associated with pre-war militarism and is now rare, mostly encountered in historical or literary contexts.

• 七しち生しょう報ほう国こくの精せい神しんは、戦せん前ぜんの教きょう育いくで強きょう調ちょうされた。

  The spirit of 'unfailing devotion to one's country' was emphasized in pre-war education.

• 彼かれの遺い書しょには「七しち生しょう報ほう国こく」と記しるされていた。

  His will bore the words 'serving one's country for seven lives'.