Japanese symbol for “behead”
馘す
かくす
Romaji: kakusu
to behead
In Japanese, behead is 馘す, read かくす (kakusu).
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
- vs-c, vt to behead
- vs-c, vt to dismiss (from a job); to fire
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “behead”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 首切る | くびきる kubikiru | to behead; to decapitate |
| 首を落とす | くびをおとす kubiootosu | to behead; to decapitate |
| 首をはねる | くびをはねる kubiohaneru | to behead; to decapitate |
| 刎ねる | はねる haneru | to cut off (someone's head); to behead; to decapitate |
| 首を切る | くびをきる kubiokiru | to behead |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 馘首 | かくしゅ kakushu | dismissal; discharge |
See also: Chinese symbol for “behead”.
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.