Japanese symbol for “choose”
選ぶ
えらぶ
Romaji: erabu
to choose; to select; to pick (out)
In Japanese, choose is 選ぶ, read えらぶ (erabu).
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
- v5b, vt to choose; to select; to pick (out)
Written forms: 選ぶ、撰ぶ、択ぶ. Readings: えらぶ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “choose”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 決める | きめる kimeru | to decide; to choose; to determine |
| 取る | とる toru | to adopt (a method, proposal, etc.); to take (a measure, attitude, etc.); to choose |
| 見立てる | みたてる mitateru | to (see and) choose; to select |
| 拾う | ひろう hirou | to select; to choose; to pick out |
| 抜く | ぬく nuku | to pick out; to choose; to select |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 選手 | せんしゅ senshu | player (of a sport); athlete; team member |
| 選挙 | せんきょ senkyo | election |
| 選択 | せんたく sentaku | choice; selection; option |
| 当選 | とうせん tousen | being elected |
| 予選 | よせん yosen | preliminary contest; qualifying round; trial |
See also: Chinese symbol for “choose”.
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.