1.
virtue; moral excellence; good character
Moral goodness and integrity of character. A central concept in Confucian and Buddhist ethics, referring to the inner quality of a morally admirable person.
2.
grace; favor; benefit received
Kindness, benevolence, or benefit bestowed by someone, especially someone in a position of authority or spiritual power.
A fundamental concept in East Asian philosophy and ethics, deeply rooted in Confucian thought. Appears in many personal names, place names, and historical terms.
Common collocations
- 徳を積む: to accumulate virtue (through good deeds)
- 徳が高い: of high virtue; morally excellent
- 徳のある人: a virtuous person
- 人徳: personal virtue; charisma based on character
- 道徳: morality, ethics
- 美徳: a virtue; a good quality
Similar words
- 得: profit, advantage — a homophone but unrelated; means 'gain' or 'benefit' in a practical sense
- 仁: benevolence — a specific Confucian virtue focusing on compassion toward others
- 善: good, goodness — more abstract; the general concept of good vs. evil
Cultural note
徳を積む (accumulating virtue) is a widely used expression in Japanese culture, reflecting the Buddhist and Confucian idea that good deeds build up spiritual merit. The concept appears in the name of the historical Tokugawa (徳川) clan.