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侠骨 (kyoukotsu) Japanese meaning: chivalrous spirit | Kotomora

侠きょう骨こつ

きょ

う

こ

つ

Meanings

1

chivalrous spirit; knightly backbone

Literary term for a strong, righteous, and self-sacrificing spirit associated with chivalry or knight-errantry. Often used in historical or dramatic contexts.

彼かれの行こう動どうには侠きょう骨こつが感かんじられる。
His actions reveal a chivalrous spirit.

Kanji

侠tomboy, chivalry
骨skeleton, bone, remains

Related words

任にん侠きょう
任侠 refers more broadly to chivalry or the code of the yakuza, while 侠骨 specifically emphasizes the inner spirit or moral backbone of a chivalrous person.
義ぎ侠きょう心しん
義侠心 is a more common term for a chivalrous or gallant heart, whereas 侠骨 is a more literary and somewhat archaic expression.

Etymology

Compound of 侠 (chivalry, knight-errantry) and 骨 (bone, backbone), literally 'chivalrous bone', metaphorically referring to an unyielding chivalrous spirit.