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How to say 'Duty' or 'Obligation' in Japanese | 義理

Wondering how to say 'Duty' or 'Obligation' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Duty or Obligation is 'Giri', written as 義理 in Japanese.'Duty' or 'Obligation' in hiragana is ぎり.

    word

    義理

    Meaning

    Duty, Obligation

    Reading

    ぎり

    giri

    Kanji

    義Righteousness 理Reason

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '義理 (ぎり)' refers to a sense of social obligation or duty, often tied to relationships or societal expectations. It is a deeply rooted concept in Japanese culture, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling one's responsibilities to maintain harmony. For example: I feel a sense of duty to help my friend「友達を助ける義理を感じる」(ともだちをたすけるぎりをかんじる). He attended the wedding out of obligation「彼は義理で結婚式に出席した」(かれはぎりでけっこんしきにしゅっせきした). This word is often used in contexts involving social expectations, such as gift-giving or attending events.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N1

    Kanji Grade

    5

    Frequency

    3286

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 義理

This word contains 2 kanji characters:

  • kanji

    義

    Meaning

    Righteousness

  • kanji

    理

    Meaning

    Reason

Words Related to 義理 Through the Kanji 義

These 10 Words contain the Kanji 義 as well.

  • word

    主義

    Meaning

    Doctrine, Principle

  • word

    義務

    Meaning

    Duty, Obligation

  • word

    意義

    Meaning

    Significance

  • word

    共産主義

    Meaning

    Communism

  • word

    資本主義

    Meaning

    Capitalism

  • word

    正義

    Meaning

    Justice

  • word

    講義

    Meaning

    Lecture

  • word

    名義

    Meaning

    Name, Title

  • word

    義

    Meaning

    Duty

  • word

    定義

    Meaning

    Definition

Words Related to 義理 Through the Kanji 理

These 33 Words contain the Kanji 理 as well.

  • word

    理由

    Meaning

    Reason

  • word

    料理

    Meaning

    Cooking, Cuisine

  • word

    無理

    Meaning

    Impossible

  • word

    理論

    Meaning

    Theory

  • word

    理科

    Meaning

    Science

  • word

    修理

    Meaning

    Repair

  • word

    心理

    Meaning

    Psychology

  • word

    管理

    Meaning

    Management

  • word

    処理

    Meaning

    Processing, Disposal

  • word

    理想

    Meaning

    Ideal

  • word

    論理

    Meaning

    Logic

  • word

    原理

    Meaning

    Principle

  • word

    生理

    Meaning

    Menstruation, Physiology

  • word

    代理

    Meaning

    Proxy

  • word

    合理

    Meaning

    Rationality

  • word

    合理的

    Meaning

    Rational

  • word

    整理

    Meaning

    Organize, Sort

  • word

    物理

    Meaning

    Physics

  • word

    理事

    Meaning

    Director

  • word

    倫理

    Meaning

    Ethics

  • word

    理念

    Meaning

    Philosophy

  • word

    真理

    Meaning

    Truth

  • word

    理性

    Meaning

    Reason

  • word

    理屈

    Meaning

    Logic, Reasoning

  • word

    総理

    Meaning

    Premier

  • word

    地理

    Meaning

    Geography

  • word

    理

    Meaning

    Reason

  • word

    調理

    Meaning

    Cooking

  • word

    理解

    Meaning

    Understanding

  • word

    論理的

    Meaning

    Logical

  • word

    無理矢理

    Meaning

    Forcibly

  • word

    理系

    Meaning

    Science

  • word

    総理大臣

    Meaning

    Prime Minister

Learn the Word 義理

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Giri' (義理) mean?

'Giri' means 'Duty' or 'Obligation' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.