Japanese symbol for “bow”
弓
ゆみ
Romaji: yumi
bow (weapon)
In Japanese, bow 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 “bow”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お辞儀 | おじぎ ojigi | bow; bowing |
| 礼 | れい rei | bow (i.e. bending of the body); bowing |
| 船首 | せんしゅ senshu | bow (of a boat); prow; stem |
| ボー | ボー boo | bow (weapon) |
| 曲げる | まげる mageru | to bend; to crook; to bow |
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 “bow”.
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.
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