義

義 (Kangxi radical 123, 羊+7, 13 strokes, cangjie input 廿土竹手戈 (TGHQI), four-corner 8055₃, composition ⿱𦍌我)

• 儀 𠿿 嬟 嶬 𢣂 㩘 𣿭 䧧 㬢 檥 燨 犠 㼁 𤩺 𥋟 礒 艤 蟻 議 轙 䰮 䲑 鸃 䣡 䴊 㠖 䕏 䉝 㕒

• KangXi: page 952, character 32
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 28504
• Dae Jaweon: page 1397, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3133, character 2
• Unihan data for U+7FA9

Historical forms of the character 義
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *ŋrals) : semantic 羊 (“sheep”) + phonetic 我 (OC *ŋaːlʔ).

Cognate with 儀 (OC *ŋral, “ceremony; appearance”). See there for more.

義

1. right conduct; righteousness; justice; morality

   正義／正义  ―  zhèngyì  ―  justice

   大義滅親／大义灭亲  ―  dàyìmièqīn  ―  to place righteousness before family

   • 子曰：「君子義以為上。君子有勇而無義為亂，小人有勇而無義為盜。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：“君子义以为上。君子有勇而无义为乱，小人有勇而无义为盗。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐyuē: “Jūnzǐ yì yǐwéi shàng. Jūnzǐ yǒu yǒng ér wú yì wéi luàn, xiǎorén yǒu yǒng ér wú yì wéi dào.” [Pinyin]

     The superior man holds righteousness to be of highest importance. A man in a superior situation, having valor without righteousness, will be guilty of insubordination; one of the lower people having valor without righteousness, will commit robbery.

2. ties between people; relationship

   忘恩負義／忘恩负义  ―  wàng'ēnfùyì  ―  to be devoid of gratefulness; to forget someone’s kindness and turn one’s back on him

   有情有義／有情有义  ―  yǒuqíngyǒuyì  ―  having affection and faith

3. meaning; implication

   歧義／歧义  ―  qíyì  ―  ambiguity (in language or wording)

   同義詞／同义词  ―  tóngyìcí  ―  synonym

4. righteous or for the public good

   義師／义师  ―  yìshī  ―  army fighting a just war

   義舉／义举  ―  yìjǔ  ―  magnanimous act undertaken for the public good

5. (in compounds) adoptive or formally acknowledged as a relative but not related by blood

   義父／义父  ―  yìfù  ―  person formally acknowledged as one's father

   義兄／义兄  ―  yìxiōng  ―  sworn elder brother

6. (in compounds) artificial

   義肢／义肢  ―  yìzhī  ―  prosthetic leg

7. (Taiwan) Short for 義大利／义大利 (Yìdàlì, “Italy”).
8. a surname

(grade 5 “Kyōiku” kanji)

• Go-on: ぎ (gi, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ぎ (gi, Jōyō)
• Kun: よい (yoi, 義い); よしとする (yoshitosuru, 義しとする); よく (yoku, 義く)
• Nanori: よし (yoshi)

義(ぎ) • (gi) 

1. justice; a situation which has a right and proper reason
   • 正義(せいぎ) (seigi)
   • 主義(しゅぎ) (shugi): principle
   • 義務(ぎむ) (gimu): obligation
   • Antonyms : 奸(かん) (kan, “evil”)
2. a meaning
   • 意義(いぎ) (igi)
   • 定義(ていぎ) (teigi): definition
   • 奥義(おうぎ) (ōgi)
3. a relative who has no blood relation
   • 義(ぎ)父(ふ) (gifu)
   • 義(ぎ)母(ぼ) (gibo)
   • 義(ぎ)親(しん) (gishin)
   • 義(ぎ)兄(けい) (gikei)
   • 義(ぎ)姉(し) (gishi)
   • 義(ぎ)弟(てい) (gitei)
   • 義(ぎ)妹(まい) (gimai)
4. an object which can be used properly instead of a right one
   • 義眼(ぎがん) (gigan)
   • 義手(ぎしゅ) (gishu)
   • 義足(ぎそく) (gisoku)
   • 義体(ぎたい) (gitai)

義 (eumhun 옳을 의 (oreul ui))

1. Hanja form^? of 의 (“right conduct; righteousness; justice; morality”).

• 주의 (主義, juui, “a principle or set of principles; a doctrine; an ism”)
• 의리 (義理, uiri, “loyalty; fidelity”)
• 정의 (正義, jeong'ui, “justice”)

義: Hán Nôm readings: nghĩa, nghì, ngửi, ngãi

1. meaning
2. morality; duty