heroism; loyalty and courage; public-spirited bravery
A formal noun for courage motivated by duty, righteousness, or loyalty to a public cause. It is not the everyday word for personal courage; 勇気 is more common in ordinary speech.
Their spirit of heroic loyalty and courage is still passed down today.
Men of heroic courage gathered from many regions.
He displayed heroic courage at the scene of the fire.
They devoted their loyal courage to their country.
義侠 refers to a chivalrous spirit of helping the weak, while 義勇 is the broader term for public-spirited heroic courage.
卑怯 describes cowardly or underhanded behavior, the opposite of the brave, righteous conduct implied by 義勇.
A Sino-Japanese compound combining 義, associated with righteousness, duty, or loyalty, and 勇, associated with courage or valor. This component explanation reflects the conventional meaning of the spelling rather than a detailed historical derivation.