忠 means “loyalty, faithfulness”

ちゅう · chuu

Also: fidelity

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

チュウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 8 strokes

The story

A heart (心) held right in the middle (中): devotion that never wavers. 忠 is loyalty, and outside Shibuya Station stands 忠犬ハチ公, the faithful dog who kept coming back to wait for his dead master for nearly ten years.

Used in 忠実 (chuujitsu, faithful), 忠告 (chuukoku, advice/warning), and 忠犬 (chuuken, loyal dog)

More from Loyalty & Duty

• 誠 sincerity
• 倫 ethics
• 仁 benevolence
• 貞 chastity
• 慈 mercy
• 衷 innermost feelings
• 義 righteousness
• 善 good
• 孝 filial piety
• 徳 virtue

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.