Japanese symbol for “archery”
弓
ゆみ
Romaji: yumi
bow (weapon)
In Japanese, archery is 弓, read ゆみ (yumi).
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 bow (weapon)
- n archery
- n bow (for a violin, etc.)
Written forms: 弓. Readings: ゆみ、ゆ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “archery”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 射 | しゃ sha | archery |
| アーチェリー | アーチェリー aacherii | archery |
| 洋弓 | ようきゅう youkyuu | (Western) archery |
| 弓術 | きゅうじゅつ kyuujutsu | (Japanese) archery |
| 射術 | しゃじゅつ shajutsu | archery |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 弓道 | きゅうどう kyuudou | kyūdō; kyudo; Japanese archery |
| 弓矢 | ゆみや yumiya | bow and arrow |
| 真弓 | まゆみ mayumi | Japanese spindle tree (Euonymus sieboldianus) |
| 洋弓 | ようきゅう youkyuu | (Western) archery |
| 弓術 | きゅうじゅつ kyuujutsu | (Japanese) archery |
| 弓弦 | ゆみづる yumizuru | bowstring |
See also: Chinese symbol for “archery”.
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.
Last posts
- How Heavy Should a Practice Bokken Be for Training
- Choosing a Training Sword for Stage and Historical Combat
- Best Wooden Swords for Kids Starting Martial Arts Forms
- Are Wooden Kung Fu Swords Balanced Like Real Steel Blades
- Buying a Wooden Jian for Beginners
- Choosing a Bokken with Scabbard for Iaido Beginners
- Is a Plastic Saya Worth Adding to a Bokken for Drawing?
- Choosing the Best Aikido Bokken for Daily Training
- Choosing the Best Heavy Bokken for Suburi Training
- Are Bamboo Practice Swords Safer Than Wooden Ones