A personal motto or saying one keeps in mind as a guide for life. Often written down and placed where it can be seen daily. The synonymous phrase 座右の銘 (ざゆうのめい) is more common in modern Japanese.
See also: 座右の銘 (ざゆうのめい)
His motto is 'Perseverance is power.'
I keep 'Treasure every encounter' in mind as my motto.
Standard kanji spelling. The reading ざうめい is a historical variant; ざゆうめい is the modern standard.
From 座右 (ざゆう, 'at one's side') + 銘 (めい, 'inscription'), literally 'an inscription kept at one's side'. The reading ざうめい reflects historical kana usage.