美徳

• 読み: びとく
• ローマ字: bitoku
• 漢字の分解: 美 (bi/utsuku) — beautiful, admirable; 徳 (toku) — virtue, moral excellence
• 発音: /bi.to.kɯ/

意味

Virtue; moral excellence; an admirable quality. A noble trait that is esteemed in a person's character.

A noun describing moral virtues — honesty, patience, diligence, and similar qualities. Often appears in philosophical, ethical, and literary contexts. 謙虚さは美徳だ (humility is a virtue) is a typical formulation. Can be used both sincerely and with mild irony, when virtues are seen as limiting or old-fashioned.

例文

1. 辛抱強さは日本社会において長らく美徳とされてきた。
2. 彼女の誠実さと思いやりは誰もが認める美徳だ。
3. 沈黙を美徳とする文化では、意見を言うことが難しいこともある。

使い方ガイド

場面: ethics, philosophy, culture, character

トーン: positive

起源と歴史

From 美 (bi, beautiful/admirable) and 徳 (toku, virtue/moral excellence). The character 徳 has a long history in Confucian ethics, encompassing inner virtue and moral power. The compound entered Japanese through classical Chinese philosophical texts.

文化的背景

時代: Classical–Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal