Japanese Symbols
A curated catalogue of 110 meaningful Japanese symbols — kanji, cultural marks, and kaomoji — with meanings, pronunciations, and copy-to-clipboard for every entry.
Common kanji symbols
Meaningful single-kanji words frequently used in tattoos, gifts, and art.
Love and emotion kanji
Single kanji that capture emotion and relationships.
Strength, virtue, and the warrior path
Kanji from bushido and traditional Japanese values.
Nature and the four elements
Kanji for natural phenomena and the classical Japanese elements.
Lucky and sacred symbols
Symbols believed to bring fortune or protection in Japanese tradition.
Cultural and postal marks
Special Unicode characters with origins in Japanese print culture.
Kaomoji (Japanese emoticons)
Sideways-readable Japanese emoticons that predate Western emoji.
Understanding Japanese Symbols
Why Japanese Has So Many Symbol Sets
Japanese uses three writing systems concurrently — hiragana for native grammar and particles, katakana for foreign loanwords and emphasis, and kanji for content words. Layered on top are full-width punctuation (、。！？), currency symbols (¥), and proprietary glyphs (々, ヶ). Each set has its own input method on a Japanese keyboard, which is why mixed text feels denser than equivalent English.
Punctuation Pitfalls for Learners
Full-width 「」 are the standard quotation marks in Japanese — half-width " " look out of place in body text. The full-width comma 、 is used as a soft pause, not a list separator; the wave 〜 marks ranges or casual prolonging. Periods 。are always full-width — using a half-width . in formal Japanese writing reads as careless or non-native.
Where Symbol Lookup Is Useful
Formal letter writing, typing in Japanese on a non-Japanese keyboard, decoding product packaging and street signs, and copying special characters like 〆 (deadline marker) or ㊙ (confidential stamp) without learning IME shortcuts. Search by category or use the filter to find a glyph you've seen but can't type, then copy it straight from the card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Japanese symbols the same as Chinese symbols?
Many Japanese kanji are shared with Chinese hanzi because Japanese borrowed Chinese characters around 600 AD. But the readings, modern meanings, and exact glyph shapes have drifted: 愛 means love in both, but Japanese reads it 'ai' and Chinese reads it 'ài', and the simplified Chinese version (爱) looks different. Avoid copying Chinese-language tattoo galleries — many circulate so-called 'Chinese love' kanji that aren't used in modern Japanese at all. The catalog above uses modern Japanese forms only.
Can I tattoo any of these symbols?
Most kanji on this page are commonly used in Japanese tattoos and gifts — 愛 love, 龍 dragon, 武 martial, 桜 cherry blossom are all safe. Three entries carry an explicit cultural note: 卍, 卐, and 侍 each require context to use without unintentionally signalling something else. Always cross-check stroke order before getting any kanji tattoo using the linked Stroke Order Viewer, because misordered strokes look subtly wrong to Japanese readers in the same way mirrored English letters look wrong to you.
What is the difference between kanji and Japanese symbols like 〒?
Kanji are logographic characters borrowed from Chinese with full readings and meanings as words. 'Japanese symbols' more broadly includes that plus Unicode characters Japan invented for specific cultural uses: 〒 is the Japanese postal mark, 〠 is a special-delivery variant, ㊙ marks secret documents in newspapers, ㊗ flags congratulations. These last symbols don't read as full words but appear constantly in print culture. The catalog mixes both with clear labels.
What does 卍 mean and is it safe to use?
卍 (manji) is the Buddhist temple symbol used across Japanese, Indian, Chinese, and Korean Buddhist iconography for over 3,000 years. It marks temples on Japanese maps and has nothing historically to do with the Nazi swastika, which is the mirrored version (卐) tilted 45 degrees. In Western contexts the visual overlap causes genuine distress, so use it thoughtfully and only with context. The catalog includes both the manji and a mandatory cultural note.
What are kaomoji and how do they differ from emoji?
Kaomoji (顔文字, 'face characters') are sideways Japanese emoticons that predate Western emoji by decades. They are made entirely from Unicode characters — letters, math symbols, brackets, kana — and you read them straight-on rather than rotating your head 90 degrees like (^_^) vs :). Kaomoji are still widely used in Japan and Korea over emoji because they express subtle emotion through clever character combinations. The catalog includes the most universally readable 25+ kaomoji.
Can I use these symbols on my phone keyboard?
Yes — tap any card to copy the symbol to your clipboard, then paste anywhere. All entries are real Unicode characters that any modern phone, computer, and social media platform displays correctly. No special font is required. The cultural marks (㊙, 〒, etc.) may render in a system font on some platforms that lacks Japanese characters, but the character itself is preserved when copied. If you need to type these without copying, install a Japanese keyboard via your phone settings.
Some of these are real kanji.
Many of the symbols you just copied are everyday Japanese kanji learners encounter in their first weeks of study. Start with the JLPT N5 100 most common kanji and you will already recognise dozens of these glyphs in real Japanese text.
Start the free JLPT N5 course