情理

• Reading: じょうり
• Romaji: jōri
• Kanji breakdown: 情 (jō) — feeling, sentiment; 理 (ri) — reason, principle
• Pronunciation: /dʑoːɾi/

Meaning

Emotion and reason; the balance between sentiment and logic in human judgement.

A noun describing the dual forces of 情 (human feeling) and 理 (rational principle) that together constitute sound moral reasoning. The phrase 情理を尽くす means to appeal fully to both the emotional and rational sides of an issue. It is common in persuasive, legal, and literary writing.

Examples

1. 情理を尽くして説得したが、彼の心は動かなかった。 I tried to persuade him with both emotion and reason, but his mind wouldn't budge.
2. 良い判断は情理の両方を踏まえた上でなされるべきだ。 Good decisions should be made by taking both sentiment and logic into account.
3. 情理に反した処分は職員の信頼を損なう。 Disciplinary actions that defy both emotion and reason undermine employee trust.

Usage Guide

Context: persuasion, law, ethics, formal writing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 情 (feeling, sentiment) and 理 (reason, principle). The pairing reflects the Confucian ideal that neither cold logic nor pure emotion alone is sufficient for wise decision-making.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Present

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated