A KANJI DICTIONARY BY A JAPANESE CREATOR.

A little ink.
A deeper meaning.

TRY THE LETTERING

One meaning. Your lettering.

勇 · yū · courage. Change the typeface, size and angle here, then try the full placement preview.

Try 勇 on skin or your photo →
勇 — courage lettering

Illustrative lettering study. Final size and placement need your artist’s check.

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愛 Love · ai01 / 07
Model catalog ↗

Placement concepts, not actual tattoos or actual size.

Discover the kanji behind your next tattoo. Explore meanings, readings, and the context that makes each character its own.

Explore the dictionary

Explore name examples →
Compare documented name examples, readings and meanings.

Created by a Japanese site owner. A considered place to start.

MORE THAN A TRANSLATION

One character can hold many meanings.
Understand the context before making it permanent.

Read the guide

WATCH WITH KEN · 44 SECONDS

What kind of strength do you mean?

Explore 力 (chikara): strength, power, and the difference between strength and courage.

Explore the meaning & lettering →

Ken is an AI avatar with a voice cloned from the creator’s own recording with permission. Playing loads YouTube.

Watch on YouTube ↗

FIND YOUR STARTING POINT

What matters to you?

Explore four kanji inspired by your values, then keep your favorites.

ANIME & KANJI · NARUTO

Find the meaning behind the ninja arts.

Explore Japanese words used in Naruto, from techniques to resolve. Start with the word, then discover its story context.

An independent selection, not an official Naruto collaboration. General dictionary meanings and fictional examples are explained separately on each entry. A technique name from the series is not automatically an everyday Japanese word.

FOUR-CHARACTER IDIOMS · 四字熟語

Four characters. A deeper thought.

Discover yojijukugo: Japanese four-character idioms about encounters, resolve, calm, and growing together.

The English headings explain each idiom’s overall meaning; they are not word-for-word translations. Read the dictionary meaning and context before choosing a personal interpretation or final lettering.

Before choosing your tattoo →

THE DICTIONARY

Find a meaning that feels like you.

273 ENTRIES

Explore every theme. Choose a meaning or search in English, Japanese, or romaji.

Themes are browsing aids, not dictionary definitions or tattoo recommendations.

273 entries · Start your exploration

ANIME & KANJI · KINGDOM

A dream worth fighting for.

Inspired by Kingdom: explore ambition, courage, trust, and strategy through Japanese kanji.

NAMES, AMBITIONS & THE WARRIOR SPIRIT

Meet eight characters through their names and the ideas their journeys evoke.

Kingdom Kanji ↗

An independent thematic selection, not an official Kingdom collaboration. These links explain the Japanese words; the associations with the story are editorial interpretations. The story is set in ancient China, while the readings shown here are Japanese.

BEFORE THE INK

Good design begins
with understanding.

Read about Japanese writing, choosing a character, and checking the final lettering with someone who knows the language.

A guide to kanji tattoos →Your name in kanji: explore the options →Common tattoo mistakes & checks →