Japanese symbol for “clue”
手がかり
てがかり
Romaji: tegakari
clue; lead; key; trail
In Japanese, clue is 手がかり, read てがかり (tegakari).
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 clue; lead; key; trail; scent; track
- n handhold; hold
Written forms: 手がかり、手掛かり、手懸かり、手掛り. Readings: てがかり.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “clue”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 暗示 | あんじ anji | hint; suggestion; clue |
| ヒント | ヒント hinto | hint; clue |
| 鍵 | かぎ kagi | key (to a problem, success, etc.); clue |
| 縁 | よすが yosuga | something to rely on; aid; clue |
| 端緒 | たんしょ tansho | start; beginning; first step |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 相手 | あいて aite | companion; partner; company |
| 選手 | せんしゅ senshu | player (of a sport); athlete; team member |
| 手段 | しゅだん shudan | means; way; method |
| 手術 | しゅじゅつ shujutsu | surgery; operation; procedure |
| 大手 | おおて oote | major company; big company |
| 手紙 | てがみ tegami | letter; note |
See also: Chinese symbol for “clue”.
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.