良心(りょうしん)

りょうしん
noun
conscience
cognition
See also: 両親(りょうしん) (parents)
1. conscience, moral sense
The inner sense of right and wrong that guides a person's actions. Used similarly to the English word "conscience" in both everyday and formal contexts.
良心(りょうしん)が痛(いた)む。
My conscience hurts.
良心(りょうしん)に従(したが)って行動(こうどう)すべきだ。
You should act according to your conscience.
彼(かれ)は良心(りょうしん)の呵責(かしゃく)に耐(た)えられず、全(すべ)てを告白(こくはく)した。
Unable to bear the pangs of conscience, he confessed everything.

Usage

Note the homophone 両親(りょうしん) (parents) — context usually makes the distinction clear.

良心(りょうしん) is used in similar expressions as English "conscience": it can ache (痛(いた)む), prick (咎(とが)める), or cause torment (呵責(かしゃく)). The expression 良心的(りょうしんてき) (conscientious) is commonly used to describe fair pricing or honest business practices.

Common collocations