Details
Description
Justice/Righteousness - moral principle of samurai, honor.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of sheep and self. Self as pure as sheep.
Symbolism
Righteousness, morality, loyalty. Represents Confucian ethics and proper conduct.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents righteous conduct and moral duty, core bushido value. High spirituality willing to sacrifice self.
Component Breakdown
Sheep + I/self
Words & Expressions
Words written with 義
Four-Character Compounds
人道主義
じんどうしゅぎ
humanism; humanitarianism
大義名分
たいぎめいぶん
just cause; good reason; pretext
博愛主義
はくあいしゅぎ
philanthropism
利己主義
りこしゅぎ
egoism; egotism; selfishness
敵本主義
てきほんしゅぎ
diversionary tactics; concealing one's true motives until the last moment
耽美主義
たんびしゅぎ
aestheticism
温情主義
おんじょうしゅぎ
paternalism
独善主義
どくぜんしゅぎ
self-righteousness
義理一遍
ぎりいっぺん
perfunctory; going-through-the-motions-sort of (invitation, gift, etc.)
義理人情
ぎりにんじょう
duty and humanity; (a sense of) moral obligation and humane feelings
主義主張
しゅぎしゅちょう
one's principles and position
断章取義
だんしょうしゅぎ
interpreting (and using) a passage without regard to its context
Proverbs & Idioms
義を見てせざるは勇なきなり
ぎをみてせざるはゆうなきなり
To see what is right and not do it is lack of courage
Knowing what's right but failing to act is cowardice
仁義礼智信
じんぎれいちしん
Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trust
The five Confucian virtues that guide human conduct
Anime & Manga
鋼の錬金術師
Fullmetal Alchemist
Depicts brotherhood bonds and 'equivalent exchange' justice
BLEACH
Bleach
Byakuya Kuchiki's conflict between duty and emotion
キングダム
Kingdom
Chinese Warring States epic with honor-bound warriors
ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ
Classroom of the Elite
A well-known work with 義 in its Japanese title.
現実主義勇者の王国再建記
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
A well-known work with 義 in its Japanese title.
Games
龍が如く 維新！極
Like a Dragon: Ishin!(2023)
Story of honor and friendship among Bakumatsu patriots
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
上杉謙信
(うえすぎけんしん)How 義, duty, came to be attached to his name
The tale that he sent salt to the landlocked Takeda when their supply was cut is a later legend, not a documented act — but it is the story that fastened 義, duty, to his name.
松方正義
Name contains 義
Prince Matsukata Masayoshi was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1891 to 1892, and from 1896 to 1898.
Wikipedia源義経
Name contains 義
Minamoto no Yoshitsune was a Japanese samurai commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods.
Wikipedia今川義元
Name contains 義
Imagawa Yoshimoto was a Japanese samurai and daimyō of the Sengoku period.
Wikipedia足利義政
Name contains 義
Ashikaga Yoshimasa was a Japanese samurai, daimyo and the eighth shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1443 to 1473 during the Muromachi…
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 義 mean in Japanese?
義 means righteousness, justice, morality, honor, loyalty, meaning. Justice/Righteousness - moral principle of samurai, honor.
How do you read 義?
On'yomi: ギ (GI).
How many strokes does 義 have?
義 has 13 strokes. Its radical is 羊 (sheep).
Is 義 a good kanji for a tattoo?
義 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means righteousness, justice, morality, honor, loyalty, meaning. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:righteousness · justice · honor · loyalty