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滅私 (めっし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Meanings 1
noun
selflessness ; unselfishness
Refers to the act of setting aside one's own interests for the sake of others or a greater cause. Often used in formal or ethical contexts, and strongly associated with the phrase 滅私奉公 (selfless devotion to public duty).
Kanji 滅 destroy, ruin, overthrow Similar words 利り 他た 利他 (altruism) focuses on benefiting others, while 滅私 emphasizes the negation or sacrifice of the self.
自じ 己こ 犠ぎ 牲せい 自己犠牲 (self-sacrifice) implies giving up something concrete, whereas 滅私 is more about an abstract state of selflessness.
Etymology Compound of 滅 (destroy, extinguish) and 私 (self, private). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is conventionally associated with the Confucian-influenced ideal of subordinating personal interests to the collective.
銘めい
を
与あた
え
た
。
His attitude of selfless devotion to public service impressed many people.
