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VocabJLPT N1

moral code

Noun

Definitions

1. humanity and justice (esp. in Confucianism)
2. virtue
3. duty
4. formal greeting (between yakuza, street vendors, gamblers, etc.)

This refers to the moral code of duty, loyalty, and righteousness, concepts deeply rooted in traditional Japanese ethics and also strongly associated with yakuza culture. It can describe acting with honor and integrity toward others, or it can refer to the formal greetings and codes of conduct observed in certain organizations.

Example sentences

Sentence 1

Wait — do I even have the right to talk about integrity anymore?

Sentence 2

"That goes against all sense of decency," she said quietly.

Sentence 3

In the kitchen, my father muttered, "Integrity isn't something you can measure in profit and loss."

Sentence 4

Wait — wasn't that decision a violation of basic decency?

Sentence 5

God, am I using integrity as an excuse to run away again?