Japanese symbol for “bartering”

物々交換

ぶつぶつこうかん

Romaji: butsubutsukoukan

barter; bartering

In Japanese, bartering is 物々交換, read ぶつぶつこうかん (butsubutsukoukan).

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 barter; bartering

Written forms: 物々交換、物物交換. Readings: ぶつぶつこうかん.

Kanji and stroke order

物

thing, object, matter

on: ブツ、モツ
kun: もの、もの-

8 strokes · JLPT 3

交

mingle, mixing, association

on: コウ
kun: まじ.わる、まじ.える、ま.じる、まじ.る

6 strokes · JLPT 2

換

interchange, period, change

on: カン
kun: か.える、-か.える、か.わる

12 strokes · JLPT 2

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
動物	どうぶつ doubutsu	animal
人物	じんぶつ jinbutsu	person; character; figure
物語	ものがたり monogatari	story; tale; narrative
建物	たてもの tatemono	building
物質	ぶっしつ busshitsu	material; substance
本物	ほんもの honmono	genuine article; real thing; real deal
交換	こうかん koukan	exchange; interchange; switching
交通	こうつう koutsuu	traffic; transportation
乗り換え	のりかえ norikae	transfer (trains, buses, etc.); change; connection

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.