Japanese symbol for “choosing”
選
せん
Romaji: sen
selection; choice; choosing; picking
In Japanese, choosing is 選, read せん (sen).
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, n-suf selection; choice; choosing; picking; election
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “choosing”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 選び | えらび erabi | choosing; selecting; deciding (on) |
| ピックアップ | ピックアップ pikkuappu | picking out; choosing; selection |
| 卜 | ぼく boku | choosing; settling; fixing |
| 選り | より yori | selecting; choosing |
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 |
| 選ぶ | えらぶ erabu | to choose; to select; to pick (out) |
| 当選 | とうせん tousen | being elected |
| 予選 | よせん yosen | preliminary contest; qualifying round; trial |
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.