Japanese symbol for “cartoonist”

漫画家

まんがか

Romaji: mangaka

cartoonist; comic book artist; manga artist; manga author

In Japanese, cartoonist is 漫画家, read まんがか (mangaka).

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 cartoonist; comic book artist; manga artist; manga author; mangaka

Written forms: 漫画家、マンガ家、まんが家. Readings: まんがか、マンガか.

Kanji and stroke order

漫

cartoon, involuntarily, unrestrained

on: マン
kun: みだり.に、そぞ.ろ

14 strokes · JLPT 1

画

brush-stroke, picture

on: ガ、カク、エ、カイ
kun: えが.く、かく.する、かぎ.る、はかりごと

8 strokes · JLPT 3

家

house, home, family

on: カ、ケ
kun: いえ、や、うち

10 strokes · JLPT 3

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
漫画	まんが manga	cartoon; comic; comic strip
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
家族	かぞく kazoku	family

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.