also: たいとく
great virtue; high moral character
Refers to profound moral excellence or outstanding virtue, often in a philosophical or religious context.
He is respected as a person of great virtue.
virtuous priest; high-ranking monk
Buddhist term for a priest of high virtue or a senior monk; also used as an honorific title.
The virtuous priest of that temple was beloved by many people.
rich person; wealthy individual
Archaic or literary term for a person of great wealth; rarely used in modern Japanese outside historical contexts.
In the old documents, there is a description of the wealthy person of that village.
Standard kanji spelling; reading だいとく is the most common.
Alternate reading, less common; may appear in historical or Buddhist contexts.
Composed of 大 (great) and 徳 (virtue). The Buddhist sense derives from the idea of a priest of great virtue. The 'rich person' sense is an archaic extension, possibly from the notion of abundant virtue being metaphorically linked to material wealth.