How to say "honourable" in Japanese

• 潔いいさぎよいCommon
  i-adjectiveCovers 'honourable' as in an honourable death: accepting defeat, apology or death gracefully, without excuses or clinging to the outcome. It praises someone who concedes a lost contest cleanly and with dignity.
  出処しゅっしょ進退しんたいの潔いさぎよさをわきまえている、と彼かれは言いっているけれど、いざとなったらどうだかね。↗

  He always talks as though he knows how to handle himself but you never know how he'll act when the chips are down.
• 公明正大こうめいせいだいCommon
  na-adjective, nounA four-character idiom for conduct that is fair, just, open and aboveboard. Its 'honourable' is the sense of upright, honest dealing with nothing hidden, rather than grace in accepting defeat or death.
  裁判さいばんは公明正大こうめいせいだいであることが要求ようきゅうされる。↗

  Judgment requires impartiality.

Use 「潔い」 for the 'honourable' of gracefully accepting defeat or death without clinging, and 公明正大 for honourable conduct that is fair, open and aboveboard; the two senses barely overlap.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 潔いいさぎよいgracious (defeat, apology, etc.)
• 公明正大こうめいせいだいfair
• 栄誉あるえいよあるhonourable
• 栄えあるはえあるglorious