# Bushido

/buˈʃidoʊ/ (US) · /bʊʃˈiːdəʊ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bushido
Updated: 2026-09-27

## Definition

the traditional code of honor and behavior followed by Japanese samurai. It focuses on values like loyalty, courage, and self-discipline.

For teachers: the traditional code of conduct and moral principles governing the samurai class in feudal Japan. Emphasizes virtues such as rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty.

## Examples

- The samurai lived according to the rules of bushido.
- Historians often debate how strictly the average warrior followed the tenets of bushido during times of peace versus times of war.
- While modern interpretations often romanticize the concept, bushido served as a rigorous ethical framework that integrated Zen Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism to guide the warrior's life and death.

## Usage notes

- Typically used without an article when referring to the philosophy as a whole.

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