moral duty; moral obligation
Refers to a duty or obligation based on one's social role, status, or ethical principles. Often used in formal or philosophical contexts.
君主としての名分を果たす。
Fulfill one's moral duty as a sovereign.
彼は
He acted in accordance with his moral obligations.
justification; just cause; pretext
A reason or principle used to justify an action, often in political or social contexts. Can imply a publicly stated reason that may be a pretext.
戦争の名分として領土問題を挙げた。
They cited territorial issues as justification for the war.
改革の名分がなければ動きにくい。
It's hard to act without a just cause for reform.
名分 is the specific justification or pretext given for an action, while 大義 is the larger moral cause behind it (the two combine in 大義名分).
名分 emphasizes the moral or logical justification for an action, while 名目 emphasizes that a stated name or reason is merely nominal.
just cause; good reason; pretext; justification · duty to one's country or sovereign
From Middle Chinese 名分 (mjieng bjunH), literally 'name and duty/role'. The Japanese reading めいぶん reflects the go-on pronunciation. The concept is rooted in Confucian philosophy, where one's social role defines one's moral obligations.