noun
benevolence; kindness; goodness
Emphasizes a generous, charitable, or compassionate nature. Often overlaps with 徳 in the sense of moral character, but focuses on active goodwill.
彼の徳にすがって助けてもらった。
I relied on his benevolence and received help.
noun
Used for material or practical gain. This sense is often written as 得, but 徳 can appear in older or literary contexts. The cross-reference to 得 (とく) indicates this is a variant usage.
See also: 得 (とく)
この取引で徳を得ることは難しい。
It is difficult to gain profit from this deal.
得 is the standard kanji for 'profit' or 'advantage', while 徳 primarily means 'virtue'. Using 徳 for 'profit' is rare and may be considered archaic or literary.
美徳 specifically means 'a virtue' as a desirable quality, often used in lists of virtues. 徳 is broader, encompassing the concept of virtue itself.
道徳 means 'morality' or 'ethics' as a system, while 徳 refers to the inner quality of virtue in a person.
The kanji 徳 has been used historically to represent moral virtue and benevolence. The reading とく is the on'yomi. The sense of 'profit' likely arose from a semantic overlap with 得 (とく), which shares the same reading and means 'gain' or 'advantage'.