Ma'anar ƙamus na "Kardinal virtue" yana nufin ɗaya daga cikin mahimman halaye huɗu na zamanin da na gargajiya waɗanda masana falsafar Kirista suka gane da muhimmanci ga rayuwa ta ɗabi'a da nagarta. Dabi'un kyawawan halaye guda huɗu sune tsantseni, adalci, tawali'u, da ƙarfin hali. Ana ɗaukar waɗannan kyawawan dabi'u a matsayin kadina saboda ana ganin su a matsayin tushe ko rataye wanda duk wasu kyawawan halaye suka dogara a kai. Kowanne daga cikin kyawawan dabi'u guda hudu yana wakiltar wani bangare daban-daban na kyawawan dabi'u: hankali shine iya yanke hukunci na hikima, adalci shine adalci da daidaito wajen mu'amala da wasu, tawali'u shi ne kamun kai da daidaitawa, karfin hali kuma shi ne jajircewa wajen fuskantar wahala da cin nasara. cikas.