不孝
also: ふきょう
Meanings
undutifulness to parents; lack of filial piety
Refers to failing in one's duty to respect and care for one's parents; a traditional Confucian concept still used in modern Japanese.
Not taking good care of one's parents is unfilial.
He is called an unfilial person by his relatives.
(archaic crime of) cursing one's parents
Only with reading ふきょう
Archaic legal term from the 八虐 (eight unpardonable crimes) system; specifically cursing or verbally abusing one's parents. Restricted to the reading ふきょう.
See also: 八虐
Among the eight unpardonable crimes was 'fukyō,' the crime of cursing one's parents.
(archaic) disowning one's child
Only with reading ふきょう
Archaic legal term for a parent formally disowning a child. Restricted to the reading ふきょう.
Under old laws, a parent could disown a child as 'fukyō.'
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉に不孝を働くto commit an act of filial disrespect against someone (usu. one's parents)
For years he has been undutiful toward his parents.
- 不孝な〈人〉an unfilial (son/daughter/child)
His relatives called him an unfilial son.
- 不孝を詫びるto apologize for one's unfilial behavior
The son apologized to his ailing father for his lack of filial devotion.