Japanese symbol for “causative”

使役

しえき

Romaji: shieki

setting (someone) to work; employment; using

In Japanese, causative is 使役, read しえき (shieki).

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, vs, vt setting (someone) to work; employment; using
n causative (gramm)

Kanji and stroke order

使

use, send on a mission, order

on: シ
kun: つか.う、つか.い、-つか.い、-づか.い

8 strokes · JLPT 3

役

duty, war, campaign

on: ヤク、エキ

7 strokes · JLPT 2

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
使用	しよう shiyou	use; application; employment
使う	つかう tsukau	to use (a tool, method, etc.); to make use of; to put to use
使い	つかい tsukai	errand; mission; going on an errand
大使館	たいしかん taishikan	embassy
行使	こうし koushi	use; exercise (of one's right, authority, power, etc.)
大使	たいし taishi	ambassador
役割	やくわり yakuwari	part; assigning (allotment of) parts; role
現役	げんえき gen'eki	active duty; active service

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.