Japanese symbol for “challenge”
挑戦
ちょうせん
Romaji: chousen
challenge; defiance; dare; attempt
In Japanese, challenge is 挑戦, read ちょうせん (chousen).
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, vi, vs challenge; defiance; dare; attempt; try
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “challenge”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 申し込み | もうしこみ moushikomi | application; entry; request |
| 攻める | せめる semeru | to challenge; to take on |
| 難題 | なんだい nandai | difficult problem; challenge |
| 申し込む | もうしこむ moushikomu | to apply for; to make an application; to propose (marriage) |
| 仕掛け | しかけ shikake | challenge; attack |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 挑発 | ちょうはつ chouhatsu | provocation; stirring up; arousal |
| 挑む | いどむ idomu | to challenge to (a fight, game, etc.); to throw down the gauntlet; to contend for |
| 挑発的 | ちょうはつてき chouhatsuteki | provocative; incendiary; inflammatory |
| 初挑戦 | はつちょうせん hatsuchousen | first challenge; first try |
| 挑戦者 | ちょうせんしゃ chousensha | challenger |
| 戦争 | せんそう sensou | war |
| 戦い | たたかい tatakai | battle; war; fight |
| 作戦 | さくせん sakusen | tactics; strategy |
See also: Chinese symbol for “challenge”.
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.