humanity and justice; virtue
Confucian ethical concept combining benevolence (仁) and righteousness (義). Used in philosophical, historical, or literary contexts.
Confucius valued humanity and justice.
duty; moral obligation
A sense of duty or moral obligation, often in a traditional or formal context. Less common in everyday speech.
He acted with a sense of duty.
formal greeting (underworld)
A ritualized greeting or exchange of formalities among yakuza, street vendors, gamblers, etc. Often used in the phrase 仁義を切る. Possibly derived from 辞儀.
I saw a scene where yakuza exchanged formal greetings.
gang's moral code
The unwritten code of conduct or ethics within a gang or criminal organization.
He violated the gang's moral code.
He fulfilled his duty of loyalty to his fellow gang members.
Upholding his code of honor no matter what was his way of life.
He had a reputation for being a deeply loyal and dutiful man.
That act was criticized as going against the code of honor.
道徳 is the general, neutral term for morality or ethics, whereas 仁義 refers specifically to the Confucian virtues of benevolence and righteousness.
忠義 emphasizes loyalty (especially to a lord or organization), while 仁義 is broader, covering virtue, duty, and a gang's code of honor.
From Chinese 仁義 (rényì), a core Confucian concept. The underworld greeting sense may be derived from 辞儀 (じんぎ, 'bow'), but the exact derivation is uncertain.