1.
loyalty; fidelity; faithfulness; devotion to one's lord or master
Deep loyalty and faithful service, traditionally toward a feudal lord or master. Now used more broadly for unwavering devotion to a person, cause, or organization.
忠義を尽くす。
To be devoted and loyal.
忠義な家臣として知られてい���。
He was known as a loyal retainer.
忠臣蔵は四十七士の忠��の物語として、日本で最も有名な歴史物語の一つだ。
Chūshingura, the story of the forty-seven samurai's loyalty, is one of the most famous historical tales in Japan.
A word with deep roots in Japanese feudal culture and the samurai code of ethics (武士道). While originally referring specifically to a vassal's loyalty to their lord, it is now used more broadly but retains a traditional and somewhat formal flavor.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 忠義を尽くす: to devote oneself loyally
- 忠義者: a loyal person
- 忠義な心: a loyal heart
- 忠���を誓う: to swear loyalty
CULTURAL NOTE:
忠義 is a central theme in many classic Japanese stories, particularly 忠臣蔵 (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), which tells the story of 47 samurai who avenged their lord's death.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 忠誠: loyalty, allegiance — more modern, used for political or organizational loyalty
- 義理: duty, obligation — social obligation rather than personal devotion
- 誠実: sincerity, faithfulness — broader, not specifically about hierarchical loyalty