noun
BAD : She has that rare character - the ability to listen to people.
GOOD : She has that rare characteristic - the ability to listen to
◆◆◆
people.
BAD : However, the Japanese also have a lot of good characters.
GOOD : However, the Japanese also have a lot of good points.
When you mean 'a feature of someone's character', use characteristic or quality : 'All great leaders share certain mean characteristics.' 'What qualities do you need to be a good parent?' In contrast with qualities that you do not like, you can also talk about someone's good points.