Japanese symbol for “cartoon”
漫画
まんが
Romaji: manga
cartoon; comic; comic strip; manga
In Japanese, cartoon is 漫画, read まんが (manga).
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 cartoon; comic; comic strip; manga
Written forms: 漫画. Readings: まんが、マンガ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “cartoon”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 戯画 | ぎが giga | caricature; cartoon; comics |
| 下絵 | したえ shitae | rough sketch; design; cartoon |
| カートゥーン | カートゥーン kaatuun | cartoon |
| ポンチ絵 | ポンチえ ponchie | (satirical) cartoon; caricature; humorous illustration |
| ポンチ | ポンチ ponchi | (satirical) cartoon; caricature; humorous illustration |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 漫才 | まんざい manzai | manzai; comic dialogue; two-person comedy act, usu. presented as a fast-paced dialogue, occ. presented as a skit |
| 漫談 | まんだん mandan | chat; desultory conversation |
| 散漫 | さんまん sanman | vague; desultory; distracted |
| 浪漫 | ロマン roman | romance (e.g. Arthurian romances); heroic tale |
| 放漫 | ほうまん houman | whimsy; looseness; indiscretion |
| 映画 | えいが eiga | movie; film; motion picture |
| 計画 | けいかく keikaku | plan; project; schedule |
| 画像 | がぞう gazou | image; picture; portrait |
See also: Chinese symbol for “cartoon”.
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.