義侠心(ぎきょうしん)

ぎきょうしん
noun
chivalrous spirit; sense of justice and compassion
personalitysociety
1. chivalrous spirit; sense of honor and compassion for the weak
A noble character trait of standing up for the disadvantaged and acting righteously, even at personal cost.
彼(かれ)は義侠心(ぎきょうしん)の強(つよ)い人(ひと)だ。
He is a man with a strong sense of chivalry.
義侠心(ぎきょうしん)から弱(よわ)い者(もの)を助(たす)けた。
Out of a sense of justice, I helped the weaker person.
義侠心(ぎきょうしん)に溢(あふ)れた彼(かれ)は、困(こま)っている人(ひと)を見(み)ると放(ほう)っておけない性格(せいかく)で、周囲(しゅうい)から慕(した)われている。
Full of chivalrous spirit, he has a personality that can't ignore people in trouble, and he is well-loved by those around him.

A compound of 義侠(ぎきょう) (chivalry/gallantry) and 心(しん) (spirit/heart). The term evokes the spirit of standing up against injustice, protecting the weak, and acting selflessly for the greater good.

The concept is deeply embedded in Japanese popular culture through figures like 任侠(にんきょう) (chivalrous yakuza) in period dramas and the samurai ethos of protecting the powerless. While it can describe anyone with a strong moral compass, it often carries a slightly old-fashioned or literary flavor.

Common collocations

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 正義感(せいぎかん) (sense of justice)
Compare: 任侠(にんきょう) (chivalry)
general
Added 2026.4.22 18:23 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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