Japanese symbol for “brain”
脳
のう
Romaji: nou
brain
In Japanese, brain is 脳, read のう (nou).
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 brain (anat)
- n brains; mind
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “brain”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 脳髄 | のうずい nouzui | brain; encephalon |
| ブレーン | ブレーン bureen | brain (organ) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 首脳 | しゅのう shunou | head; leader; top |
| 頭脳 | ずのう zunou | head; brains |
| 脳死 | のうし noushi | brain death |
| 洗脳 | せんのう sennou | brainwashing |
| 大脳 | だいのう dainou | cerebrum |
| 脳卒中 | のうそっちゅう nousotchuu | stroke; cerebral haemorrhage; cerebral hemorrhage |
See also: Chinese symbol for “brain”.
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.