also: じんきょう
noun
chivalry; chivalrous spirit; helping the weak and fighting the strong
Refers to the traditional code of honor and behavior associated with yakuza and historical outlaws, emphasizing protecting the weak and opposing the powerful. Often used in a romanticized or nostalgic context.
彼は任侠の道を貫いた。
He lived by the code of chivalry.
任侠映画が好きだ。
I like chivalrous yakuza films.
noun, used as a prefix
Euphemistic prefix used in compounds to refer to yakuza or yakuza-related things, often with a romanticized or nostalgic tone. Common in terms like 任侠団体 (yakuza organization) and 任侠映画 (yakuza film).
任侠団体の構成員が逮捕された。
Members of a yakuza organization were arrested.
あの俳優は任侠映画で有名になった。
That actor became famous through yakuza films.
Search-only kyūjitai form.
Search-only kyūjitai form.
Variant kanji spelling, less common but still used.
Alternate reading with variant kanji, rarely used.
Composed of 任 (responsibility, duty) and 侠 (chivalry, gallantry). The term originally referred to a code of honor among outlaws and later became associated with yakuza. The reading にんきょう is the standard, while じんきょう is a less common variant.