善良

• Reading: ぜんりょう
• Romaji: zenryou
• Kanji breakdown: 善 (zen) — good, virtue, goodness; 良 (ryou) — good, fine, quality
• Pronunciation: /zeɴ.ɾʲoː/

Meaning

Good-natured; virtuous; honest. Describes a person of genuinely good moral character.

A na-adjective describing someone who is morally upright and honest by nature. Often used in formal or literary contexts as 善良な市民 (good citizen), 善良な人柄 (virtuous character). Carries a sense of innate goodness rather than learned behaviour. More literary and formal than 優しい (kind) or いい人 (nice person), and often appears in legal, ethical, or philosophical discussions.

Examples

1. 彼は善良な市民として地域に貢献している。 He contributes to the community as a good-natured citizen.
2. 善良な人が騙されるのを見ると腹が立つ。 It makes me angry to see good-hearted people get deceived.
3. 祖母は善良で誰からも慕われていた。 My grandmother was virtuous and loved by everyone.

Usage Guide

Context: ethics, law, literature, character description

Tone: formal

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 善 (zen, good/virtue) + 良 (ryou, good/fine). Both characters mean 'good' but from different angles — 善 emphasises moral virtue while 良 emphasises quality or fineness.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal