The Seven Virtues of Bushido According to Nitobe Inazou
View The Makoto Letters Index
If you are not yet a Makoto+ member, why not become one and get tons of content to help you learn Japanese.Click here for a free trial!
Nitobe Inazo's (新渡戸稲造) "Bushido: The Soul of Japan" is an in-depth exploration of the samurai code of ethics and its influence on the moral and cultural fabric of Japanese society.
Bushido, often translated as "the way of the warrior," is a Japanese code of conduct and a way of life for samurai, stressing virtues such as loyalty, honor, obedience, duty, filial piety, and self-discipline, influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shintoism.
Written in English and first published in the US, Nitobe's book on Bushido became an international bestseller, influencing notable figures such as Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, as well as the founder of the Boy Scouts.
You can read the English text here: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12096/pg12096-images.html
Download this lesson as a PDF.
Through the lens of Bushido, emphasizing seven virtues—examined below—Nitobe sought to bridge the understanding between East and West, explaining how these principles had shaped the Japanese character and continue to impact modern Japan. He viewed these virtues as foundational not only for the historical samurai but also for Japanese society as a whole.
Here are the seven virtues, followed by their meanings and the English titles Nitobe attributed to them.
Table of Contents
義(ぎ) Gi: Righteousness | Rectitude or Justice
勇(ゆう) Yu: Courage, the Spirit of Daring and Bearing
仁(じん) Jin: Benevolence; Compassion | Benevolence, the Feeling of Distress
礼(れい) Rei: Respect; Etiquette | Politeness
誠(まこと) Makoto: Honesty; Sincerity | Veracity or Truthfulness
名誉(めいよ) Meiyo: Honor
忠義(ちゅうぎ) Chugi: Loyalty; Devotion | The Duty of Loyalty
Let’s go through them closer with examples.
義 Gi: Righteousness | Rectitude or Justice
Nitobe Inazō describes 義 as the power to decide upon a course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering; to die when it is right to die, to strike when to strike is right. He emphasizes that 義 represents the moral backbone of the samurai, combining ethical decision-making with the courage to follow through on those decisions, ultimately defining it as the foundation of all samurai virtues.
Vocabulary
義理 obligation; duty
[義 (righteousness) + 理 (reason; logic)]
正義 justice; righteousness
[正 (correct) + 義 (righteousness)]
義務 duty; obligation
[義 (righteousness) + 務 (service; duty)]
義兄 older brother-in-law
[義 (righteousness) + 兄 (older brother)]
義弟 younger brother-in-law
[義 (righteousness) + 弟 (younger brother)]
忠義 loyalty; devotion
[忠 (loyalty) + 義 (righteousness)]
義父 father-in-law
[義 (righteousness) + 父 (father)]
義母 mother-in-law
[義 (righteousness) + 母 (mother)]
義足 artificial limb; prosthetic leg
[義 (righteousness) + 足 (leg; foot)]
勇 Yu: Courage, the Spirit of Daring and Bearing
勇 isn’t merely physical bravery but also the courage of moral convictions. It is the courage to face not only danger and death but also to uphold the truth and justice under all circ*mstances. He portrays this virtue as the essence of a samurai's spirit, highlighting the importance of acting rightly, especially when such actions involve personal risk or defy the general consensus.
Vocabulary
勇気
courage; bravery [勇 (courage) + 気 (spirit; mind)]
勇敢 brave; valiant
[勇 (courage) + 敢 (dare)]
勇猛 fierce; brave
[勇 (courage) + 猛 (fierce)]
勇士 brave person; warrior
[勇 (courage) + 士 (warrior; gentleman)]
仁 Jin: Benevolence; Compassion | Benevolence, the Feeling of Distress
仁 is described as “the highest of all the attributes of the human soul.” He describes benevolence as the natural feeling of distress at the suffering of others and the inclination to alleviate that suffering, showcasing it as a virtue that transcends mere pity or charity, deeply rooted in the samurai's responsibility to be empathetic and protective towards those under his care.
Vocabulary
仁義 humanity and justice
[仁 (benevolence; humanity) + 義 (righteousness; justice)]
仁愛 benevolence; charity
[仁 (benevolence; humanity) + 愛 (love; affection)]
仁科 benevolent kindness
[仁 (benevolence; humanity) + 科 (department; subject)] - Note: This is less common and can be a family name.
礼 Rei: Respect; Etiquette | Politeness
Nitobe distinguishes this virtue from superficial manners, portraying it as a deep-seated cultural practice that harmonizes social interaction and reflects a compassionate regard for the feelings and dignity of others, connecting it with broader virtues like benevolence and humility, and highlighting its role in the moral education and societal harmony in Japan.
Vocabulary
礼儀 manners; etiquette
[礼 (etiquette; manners) + 儀 (ceremony; affair)]
礼節 propriety; courtesy
[礼 (etiquette; manners) + 節 (node; virtue)]
礼賛 praise; homage
[礼 (etiquette; manners) + 賛 (praise; approve)]
礼服 formal attire; ceremonial dress
[礼 (etiquette; manners) + 服 (clothing; attire)]
礼状 letter of thanks; formal letter
[礼 (etiquette; manners) + 状 (letter; document)]
礼拝 worship; service
[礼 (etiquette; manners) + 拝 (worship; adore); Buddhist reading is らいはい; Christian reading is れいはい]
礼節を守る to observe etiquette
[礼節 (etiquette; manners) + 守る (to protect; to observe)]
礼儀正しい polite; courteous
[礼儀 (etiquette; manners) + 正しい (correct; proper)]
誠 Makoto: Honesty; Sincerity | Veracity or Truthfulness
Here, Nitobe highlights the fundamental importance of honesty in Bushido, asserting that true politeness must be rooted in sincerity. One should never sacrifice truth merely for the sake of politeness. He describes the bushi's word as inherently trustworthy, highlighting this to the samurai's conflict between maintaining Bushido's honesty and adapting to the less familiar and traditionally disdained commercial practices.
Vocabulary
誠実 sincerity; integrity
[誠 (sincerity) + 実 (truth; reality)]
誠心誠意 sincerity; good faith
[誠 (sincerity) + 心 (heart; mind) + 意 (intention; meaning)]
誠意を示す to show sincerity
[誠意 (sincerity) + 示す (to show; to indicate)]
誠の心 a sincere heart
[誠 (sincerity) + の + 心 (heart; mind)]
誠意を持って sincerely; with sincerity
[誠意 (sincerity) + を持って (with; having)]
名誉 Meiyo: Honor
Nitobe Inazō defines 名誉 in the samurai code as a deep awareness of personal dignity and worth, intrinsic to the samurai's identity, where maintaining a good reputation and avoiding shame are paramount, guiding their actions and decisions in pursuit of righteousness and societal respect.
Vocabulary
名誉職 honorary position
[名誉 (honor) + 職 (post; position)]
名誉毀損 defamation; libel
[名誉 (honor) + 毀損 (damage; harm)]
名誉教授 honorary professor
[名誉 (honor) + 教授 (professor)]
名誉ある honorable
[名誉 (honor) + ある (exist; be)]
名誉会員 honorary member
[名誉 (honor) + 会員 (member)]
名誉回復 restoration of honor
[名誉 (honor) + 回復 (recovery; restoration)]
名誉挽回 recovery of one's honor
[名誉 (honor) + 挽回 (recovery; retrieval)]
名誉の負傷 wounded in honor
[名誉 (honor) + の + 負傷 (injury; wound)]
名誉市民 honorary citizen
[名誉 (honor) + 市民 (citizen)]
忠義 Chugi: Loyalty; Devotion | The Duty of Loyalty
忠義 stands as the cornerstone of ethics, distinguishing it uniquely from other moral systems with its emphasis on unwavering allegiance and fealty to a superior, which is considered paramount over other virtues within the samurai code.
Vocabulary
忠義心 heart of loyalty and devotion
[忠義 (loyalty and devotion) + 心 (heart; mind)]
忠義心を示す show a heart of loyalty and devotion
[示す show; indicate]
忠義を尽くす to fulfill one's loyalty and devotion
[忠義 (loyalty and devotion) + 尽くす (to exhaust; to serve fully)]
忠義に生きる to live with loyalty and devotion
[忠義 (loyalty and devotion) + に + 生きる (to live; to exist)]
If you are not yet a Makoto+ member, why not become one and get tons of content to help you learn Japanese.Click here for a free trial!
Subscribe to Makoto+ for a few bucks a month and get Makoto ezine, haiku lessons, repetition and shadowing, tongue twisters, and much more!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
Check out our growing library of our highly-discounted, instant downloadable digital bundles.
