Kanji 孝 filial piety, child's respect 弟 younger brother, faithful service to elders Related words 親おや 孝こう 行こう 親孝行 refers specifically to filial piety toward one's parents, while 孝悌 includes both filial piety and respect for elder siblings.
孝こう 行こう 孝行 is a more common term for filial piety, whereas 孝悌 is a formal Confucian term that also encompasses brotherly love.
Written forms 孝こう 悌てい Usage 22%
Standard kanji form for the Confucian concept of filial piety and brotherly respect.
孝こう 弟てい Usage 78%
Variant kanji form using 弟 (younger brother) instead of 悌 (respect for elders).
Etymology From Chinese 孝悌 (xiàotì), a Confucian term combining 孝 (filial piety) and 悌 (fraternal respect).
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
