戒(いまし)め

いましめ
noun
warning; admonition; lesson
abstract
1. warning; admonition; caution
A verbal warning or reprimand intended to correct behavior or prevent mistakes.
先生(せんせい)の戒(いまし)めを守(まも)る。
To follow the teacher's warning.
上司(じょうし)から厳(きび)しい戒(いまし)めを受(う)けた。
I received a stern warning from my boss.
二度(にど)と遅刻(ちこく)しないようにと戒(いまし)めを受(う)けた。
I was admonished not to be late again.
2. lesson; moral; precept
A guiding principle or moral drawn from experience, often passed down as wisdom.
この話(はなし)は良(よ)い戒(いまし)めになる。
This story serves as a good lesson.
過去(かこ)の失敗(しっぱい)を戒(いまし)めとする。
To take past failures as a lesson.
祖母(そぼ)が語(かた)った戒(いまし)めの言葉(ことば)を、今(いま)でも大切(たいせつ)にしている。
I still treasure the words of wisdom my grandmother told me.

The noun form of the verb 戒(いまし)める (to warn, to admonish). Refers both to a warning given to correct someone and to a moral lesson or precept.

Common collocations

Similar words

戒(いまし)め has a more personal, moral tone compared to the more formal 警告(けいこく), and overlaps with 教訓(きょうくん) in the sense of a lesson learned.

Related Words

Compare: 警告(けいこく) (official or formal warning, often…)
Compare: 忠告(ちゅうこく) (advice or counsel given out of concern)
Compare: 教訓(きょうくん) (moral lesson, often drawn from stories…)
Related: 訓戒(くんかい) (admonition, warning, reprimand)
general
Added 2026.3.29 1:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
20000/20179_imashime