Japanese symbol for “adf”

自動方向探知機

じどうほうこうたんちき

Romaji: jidouhoukoutanchiki

automatic direction finder; ADF

In Japanese, adf is 自動方向探知機, read じどうほうこうたんちき (jidouhoukoutanchiki).

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 automatic direction finder; ADF

Kanji and stroke order

自

oneself

on: ジ、シ
kun: みずか.ら、おの.ずから、おの.ずと

6 strokes · JLPT 3

動

move, motion, change

on: ドウ
kun: うご.く、うご.かす

11 strokes · JLPT 3

方

direction, person, alternative

on: ホウ
kun: かた、-かた、-がた

4 strokes · JLPT 3

向

yonder, facing, beyond

on: コウ
kun: む.く、む.い、-む.き、む.ける

6 strokes · JLPT 2

探

grope, search, look for

on: タン
kun: さぐ.る、さが.す

11 strokes · JLPT 2

知

know, wisdom

on: チ
kun: し.る、し.らせる

8 strokes · JLPT 3

機

loom, mechanism, machine

on: キ
kun: はた

16 strokes · JLPT 2

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
自分	じぶん jibun	myself; yourself; oneself
自身	じしん jishin	(one's) self; oneself; yourself
自由	じゆう jiyuu	freedom; liberty
自然	しぜん shizen	nature
自己	じこ jiko	self; oneself
自動	じどう jidou	automatic
活動	かつどう katsudou	activity (of a person, organization, animal, volcano, etc.); action; operation
行動	こうどう koudou	action; conduct; behaviour
方法	ほうほう houhou	method; way; manner
方向	ほうこう houkou	direction; orientation; bearing
探す	さがす sagasu	to search for; to look for; to hunt for
知る	しる shiru	to know; to be aware (of); to be conscious (of)
機能	きのう kinou	function; facility; faculty

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.