Japanese symbol for “code”

暗号

あんごう

Romaji: angou

code; password; cipher

In Japanese, code is 暗号, read あんごう (angou).

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 code; password; cipher

Kanji and stroke order

暗

darkness, disappear, shade

on: アン
kun: くら.い、くら.む、くれ.る

13 strokes · JLPT 3

号

nickname, number, item

on: ゴウ
kun: さけ.ぶ、よびな

5 strokes · JLPT 2

Other Japanese words for “code”

Word	Reading	Meaning
コード	コード koodo	code; program
規約	きやく kiyaku	agreement; rules; code
掟	おきて okite	law; regulation; rule
符号	ふごう fugou	sign; mark; symbol
暗証	あんしょう anshou	code; cipher; password

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
暗殺	あんさつ ansatsu	assassination
真っ暗	まっくら makkura	pitch-dark; pitch-black; completely dark
暗い	くらい kurai	dark; gloomy; murky
暗黙	あんもく anmoku	tacit; unspoken; implicit
暗黒	あんこく ankoku	darkness
番号	ばんごう bangou	number; series of digits
信号	しんごう shingou	signal; signalling; signaling
記号	きごう kigou	sign; symbol; mark

See also: Chinese symbol for “code”.

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.