Offline mode

人徳を損なう (jintoku o sokonau) - to damage one's virtue

Grammar & Usage

verb phrase

formal

How it works

This phrase consists of the noun '人徳' (jintoku, moral virtue/personal magnetism), the direct object marker 'を' (o), and the Godan transitive verb '損なう' (sokonau, to damage/impair). It is used to describe behaviors, scandals, or lapses in judgment that cause a person to lose moral standing, respect, and trust built over time.

Sample sentences

軽率な言動を繰り返すと、自らの人徳を損なうことになりかねない。

Repeating careless words and actions could end up damaging your own moral standing.

部下の手柄を横取りするような行為は、リーダーとしての人徳を損なう。

Taking credit for a subordinate's achievements undermines one's virtue as a leader.

彼は一度の過ちで、長年培ってきた人徳を損なってしまった。

With a single mistake, he ruined the respect and personal virtue he had cultivated over many years.

Quick facts

nuance:Carries a strong ethical and philosophical connotation, often emphasizing the social trust and innate benevolence that commands respect from subordinates or peers.

kanjiBreakdown:人 (person) + 徳 (virtue/benevolence) + 損 (loss/damage)

verbConjugation:Godan verb ending in -う (損なう: sokonawanai, sokonaimasu, sokonatta)

Often used with

人徳がある (to possess virtue)

人徳を積む (to cultivate/accumulate virtue)

人徳を失う (to lose one's virtue)

リーダーとしての人徳 (virtue as a leader)

信頼を損なう (to damage trust)

Mnemonic

Sign in for a creative sound-alike story that makes "人徳を損なう (jintoku o sokonau) - to damage one's virtue" unforgettable 🧠

Get an AI-generated memory hook for 人徳を損なう (jintoku o sokonau) - to damage one's virtue — a vivid scene that locks the word in your brain 🧠

Example

軽率な言動を繰り返すと、自らの人徳を損なうことになりかねない。

Repeating careless words and actions could end up damaging your own moral standing.

部下の手柄を横取りするような行為は、リーダーとしての人徳を損なう。

Taking credit for a subordinate's achievements undermines one's virtue as a leader.