virtue

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 徳 has 14 strokes and the on-reading とく. 道徳 (どうとく) and 美徳 (びとく) concern morality or good qualities.
• Basic usage: 道徳 refers to moral standards or a moral perspective for judging behavior; 美徳 names a good quality considered valuable.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A moral perspective and a virtue
  • 道徳について話し合う means to discuss morality. 道徳の観点からも考えてみよう suggests considering something from a moral perspective as well.
  • 間違いを認める勇気は大切な美徳だ evaluates the courage to admit a mistake as an important virtue. 沈黙だけを美徳とする考え is the belief that silence alone is a virtue, which the story in the example questions.