Japanese symbol for “carapace”
甲
こう
Romaji: kou
carapace; shell
In Japanese, carapace is 甲, read こう (kou).
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 carapace; shell
- n 1st in rank; grade A
- n instep; back of hand
- n the A party (e.g. in a contract); the first party; plaintiff (label in legal documents) (law)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “carapace”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 甲羅 | こうら koura | shell (of a crab, tortoise, etc.); carapace; plastron |
| 甲殻 | こうかく koukaku | carapace; shell; crust |
| 背甲 | はいこう haikou | carapace |
| 甲皮 | こうひ kouhi | carapace; shell; crust |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 甲板 | かんぱん kanpan | deck (of a ship) |
| 装甲 | そうこう soukou | armoring; armouring; armor |
| 甲状腺 | こうじょうせん koujousen | thyroid (gland) |
| 甲子園 | こうしえん koushien | Koshien Stadium (baseball park in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture) |
| 甲羅 | こうら koura | shell (of a crab, tortoise, etc.); carapace; plastron |
| 甲高い | かんだかい kandakai | high-pitched; shrill |
See also: Chinese symbol for “carapace”.
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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