1.
humility; modesty; self-deprecation
The quality of being humble and yielding to others, particularly by lowering oneself. Central to the Japanese politeness system, especially in the context of humble language (謙譲語).
謙譲の美徳を大切にする。
To value the virtue of humility.
謙譲の気持ちを忘れないようにしたい。
I want to always keep a spirit of humility.
日本語を学ぶとき、謙譲語は尊敬語と並んで重要な敬語の一種だ。
When studying Japanese, humble language is an important type of keigo alongside honorific language.
USAGE:
謙譲 is most commonly encountered in the compound 謙譲語 (humble language), one of the three main categories of Japanese keigo (敬語). On its own, it describes the attitude of humble self-restraint.
KEY COMPOUNDS:
- 謙譲語 (humble language — lowers the speaker to show respect)
- 謙譲の美徳 (the virtue of humility)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 謙譲な態度 (a humble attitude)
- 謙譲の精神 (a spirit of humility)
SIMILAR WORDS:
謙虚 (humble, modest) is a more common everyday word for humility as a personal quality. 謙譲 has a more formal, traditional tone and is strongly associated with the keigo system.