chastity; fidelity; faithfulness; virtue
Refers to moral purity and loyalty, especially in a marital or romantic context. Often used in formal or literary settings.
She swore fidelity to her husband.
She is known as a chaste woman.
貞節 means marital fidelity and chastity, standing in direct contrast to 浮気's meaning of cheating on a partner.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 貞 (upright, chastity) and 節 (node, section, moral integrity) combine to convey the idea of steadfast moral purity.