Japanese symbol for “abnormality”
変態
へんたい
Romaji: hentai
transformation
In Japanese, abnormality is 変態, read へんたい (hentai).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, vi, vs transformation
- adj-no, n abnormality
- adj-no, n sexual perversion; pervert
- n, vi, vs metamorphosis (biol)
- n, vi, vs transformation; transition; modification (chem, physics)
Written forms: 変態. Readings: へんたい、ヘンタイ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “abnormality”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 変調 | へんちょう henchou | irregularity; abnormality; anomaly |
| 異状 | いじょう ijou | something wrong; something unusual; abnormality |
| 変わり | かわり kawari | something wrong; abnormality; unusual event |
| 異常性 | いじょうせい ijousei | abnormality |
| 変状 | へんじょう henjou | deformation; anomaly; abnormality |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 大変 | たいへん taihen | very; greatly; terribly |
| 変更 | へんこう henkou | change; modification; alteration |
| 変化 | へんか henka | change; variation; alteration |
| 変わる | かわる kawaru | to change; to be transformed; to be altered |
| 変動 | へんどう hendou | change; fluctuation |
| 変身 | へんしん henshin | metamorphosis; disguise; transformation |
| 状態 | じょうたい joutai | state; condition; situation |
| 事態 | じたい jitai | situation; (present) state of affairs; circumstances |
See also: Chinese symbol for “abnormality”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.