justice, righteousness

義 is composed of a variant of 羊 (sheep) and 我. In ancient times, the sheep was an auspicious sacrificial animal offered to the deities and symbolized good fortune and beauty. 我 is a pictograph of a ceremonial weapon used in processions. Therefore, 義 conveys the idea of majestic and solemn ritual or ceremony, but this meaning was later taken over by the character 儀. In the eyes of the ancients, ritual was as important as a code of conduct. From this, 義 came to mean the right path, principles, and what is appropriate or fitting.