孝行
こうこう
filial piety, devotion to one's parents
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
孝行したいときに親はなし。
こうこうしたいときにおやはなし。
By the time you want to be a good child to them, your parents are gone.
彼は孝行な息子だと評判だ。
かれはこうこうなむすこだとひょうばんだ。
He has a reputation as a devoted son.
元気でいることが一番の親孝行だ。
げんきでいることがいちばんのおやこうこうだ。
Staying healthy is the best way to repay your parents.
Common patterns
- 親孝行
- filial devotion (the usual full form)
- 孝行息子
- a dutiful son
- 孝行を尽くす
- to do everything one can for one's parents
Memory tip
In practice you almost always meet it as 親孝行. The negative counterpart is 親不孝, said of a child who causes their parents grief.
Kanji in this word
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 3 of 5
What does 孝行 mean?