King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “breaker”

Romaji: nami
wave; billow; ripple; breaker

In Japanese, breaker is , read (nami).

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

  1. n wave; billow; ripple; breaker; swell
  2. n ups and downs
  3. n (something) advancing step by step; (something) surging forward inopposably; succession of changes
  4. n tendency; (new) wave (art)

Written forms: . Readings: .

Kanji and stroke order

waves, billows, Poland
on: ハ
kun: なみ
8 strokes · JLPT 2

Other Japanese words for “breaker”

WordReadingMeaning
ブレーカー bureekaa(circuit) breaker
さいは saihabreaker; breaking wave; spilling breaker
くだけなみ kudakenamibreaker; breaking wave; broken sea

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
でんぱ denparadio wave; reception; signal
つなみ tsunamitsunami; tidal wave
はらん harandisturbance; trouble; commotion
なにわ naniwaNaniwa (former name for Osaka region)
はちょう hachouwavelength
しゅうはすう shuuhasuufrequency (esp. of waveforms)

See also: Chinese symbol for “breaker”.

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.

Last posts

  1. Buying a Tai Chi Broadsword for Practice
  2. Stainless Steel vs Chrome-Plated Jian for Martial Arts
  3. Why Your Tai Chi Sword Rattles and How to Buy a Better One
  4. Choosing the Right Sword Tassel for Balance and Style
  5. Choosing a Tai Chi Sword Bag for Daily Practice
  6. Best Tai Chi Swords with Scabbards for Daily Training
  7. How Much Should You Spend on a Tai Chi Sword Budgeting Tips
  8. Tai Chi vs Wushu Swords What Sets Them Apart
  9. Are Flexible Wushu Swords Suitable for Tai Chi Forms
  10. Best Unsharpened Tai Chi Jian for Forms and Training