武士道
bushidō[bɯ̟ɕido̞ː]
Bushido is the English term for the Japanese word 武士道 (bushidō), which refers to the ethical code of the samurai.
武士道 is a noun used to describe the specific moral and ethical system followed by the samurai class in pre-modern Japan.
Meaning: ethical code of the samurai (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
bushidō
Did you know?
- The term 武士道 did not become common until after the samurai class was officially abolished in the 19th century. Much of what we imagine as the ancient code was actually codified and romanticized during the Meiji era to preserve Japanese identity.
- The word 'samurai' itself is an abbreviation of the verb 'saburau', which means 'to serve', reflecting the servant-leader relationship inherent in the code.
- In modern Japanese, the suffix 道 (dō) is also used to describe the mastery of arts such as 'Sado' (the way of tea) or 'Shodo' (the way of calligraphy), moving the concept from warfare to spiritual discipline.
Examples in context
- 彼は真の武士道を実践している。He is practicing true bushido.
- 武士道は日本の伝統的な精神です。Bushidō wa Nihon no dentōtekina seishin desu.Bushido is a traditional Japanese spirit.
- その映画は武士道をテーマにしている。Sono eiga wa bushidō o tēma ni shite iru.That movie is themed around bushido.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a history book in a library.
- 蓮 Renこの本には武士道について書いてあるよ。Kono hon ni wa bushidō ni tsuite kaite aru yo.This book writes about bushido.
- 美咲 Misaki武士道って、具体的にどういうものなの？Bushidō tte, gutaiteki ni dō iu mono nano?What exactly is bushido?
- 蓮 Ren侍の倫理観のことだよ。Samurai no rinrikan no koto da yo.It is the ethical code of the samurai.
- 美咲 Misakiとても興味深い歴史ね。Totemo kyōmibukai rekishi ne.It is a very interesting history.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bushido” translations and entries 武士道, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 武士道, CC BY-SA 4.0.
