Japanese symbol for “barrier”
関
せき
Romaji: seki
barrier; gate
In Japanese, barrier is 関, read せき (seki).
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, n-suf barrier; gate
- n seki; mutual life (go)
Written forms: 関. Readings: せき、セキ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “barrier”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 障害 | しょうがい shougai | obstacle; impediment; hindrance |
| 難関 | なんかん nankan | barrier; obstacle; difficulty |
| 関門 | かんもん kanmon | barrier; checkpoint; gateway |
| 壁 | かべ kabe | barrier; obstacle; hindrance |
| バリア | バリア baria | barrier; protective wall; bulwark |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 関係 | かんけい kankei | relation; relationship; connection |
| 関連 | かんれん kanren | relation; connection; relevance |
| 機関 | きかん kikan | engine |
| 関心 | かんしん kanshin | concern; interest |
| 玄関 | げんかん genkan | entrance; front door; entryway |
| 関西 | かんさい kansai | Kansai (region comprising Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and surrounding prefectures) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “barrier”.
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.