Japanese symbol for “closed”

非公開

ひこうかい

Romaji: hikoukai

private; non-public; secret; closed-door

In Japanese, closed is 非公開, read ひこうかい (hikoukai).

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

adj-no, n private; non-public; secret; closed-door; closed

Kanji and stroke order

非

un-, mistake, negative

on: ヒ
kun: あら.ず

8 strokes · JLPT 2

公

public, prince, official

on: コウ、ク
kun: おおやけ

4 strokes · JLPT 2

開

open, unfold, unseal

on: カイ
kun: ひら.く、ひら.き、-びら.き、ひら.ける

12 strokes · JLPT 3

Other Japanese words for “closed”

Word	Reading	Meaning
クローズド	クローズド kuroozudo	closed
閉域	へいいき heiiki	closed (network, e.g.)
閉鎖的	へいさてき heisateki	insular; closed; unsociable
密閉型	みっぺいがた mippeigata	sealed-type; enclosed; hermetic
休み中	やすみちゅう yasumichuu	(temporarily) closed; on break

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
非常	ひじょう hijou	emergency
是非	ぜひ zehi	certainly; without fail
非難	ひなん hinan	criticism; blame; censure
非公式	ひこうしき hikoushiki	informal; unofficial
非行	ひこう hikou	delinquency; misconduct
公開	こうかい koukai	opening to the public; making available to the public; exhibiting
公式	こうしき koushiki	official; formal
公演	こうえん kouen	public performance
開催	かいさい kaisai	holding (a conference, exhibition, etc.); opening; hosting (e.g. the Olympics)

See also: Chinese symbol for “closed”.

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.