honest and simple; unpretentious
Archaic adjectival noun describing a person or character as sincere, plain, and without affectation. Not used in modern everyday Japanese; encountered only in classical texts or literary contexts.
In classical literature, an honest and simple personality is sometimes held up as an ideal.
Archaic kanji spelling; the word is rarely used in modern Japanese.
Variant kanji spelling; equally archaic.
Variant kanji spelling using 樸 instead of 朴.
Variant kanji spelling using 樸 instead of 朴.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 敦 (sincere, kind) and 朴 (simple, plain) combine to suggest an unadorned, honest nature. The word is archaic and its historical origin is not clearly documented.