善悪

• Reading: ぜんあく
• Romaji: zenaku
• Kanji breakdown: 善 (zen) — good, virtue; 悪 (aku) — evil, wrong
• Pronunciation: /ze.na.kɯ/

Meaning

Good and evil; right and wrong. The moral distinction between virtuous and wicked.

A noun that frames morality as a binary axis. Used in philosophical, religious, and everyday ethical discussions. 善悪の判断 (moral judgement) and 善悪を超えた (beyond good and evil) are common phrases. In literature and religion, it often represents a fundamental cosmic or human tension.

Examples

1. 子供の頃から善悪の判断を身につけることが教育の根本だと思う。 I believe that developing the ability to distinguish good from evil from childhood is the foundation of education.
2. その物語では、善悪の境界が曖昧に描かれており、読者を惹きつける。 In that story, the boundary between good and evil is depicted ambiguously, drawing in the reader.
3. 戦争の中では善悪の概念すら揺らぐことがある。 Even the concepts of good and evil can waver in the midst of war.

Usage Guide

Context: ethics, philosophy, religion, literature

Tone: reflective

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound: 善 (zen) means good or virtue, 悪 (aku) means evil or wrong. A paired compound yoking the two moral poles.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal