Japanese symbol for “commander”
将
しょう
Romaji: shou
commander; general; leader
In Japanese, commander is 将, read しょう (shou).
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 commander; general; leader
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “commander”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 司令 | しれい shirei | command; commander; commandant |
| 隊長 | たいちょう taichou | captain; commander; commanding officer |
| 中佐 | ちゅうさ chuusa | lieutenant colonel; commander (navy) |
| 将星 | しょうせい shousei | commander |
| コマンダー | コマンダー komandaa | commander |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 将来 | しょうらい shourai | future; (future) prospects |
| 将軍 | しょうぐん shougun | general |
| 将棋 | しょうぎ shougi | shogi; Japanese chess |
| 大将 | たいしょう taishou | general; admiral |
| 将校 | しょうこう shoukou | commissioned officer; military officer |
| 武将 | ぶしょう bushou | military commander |
See also: Chinese symbol for “commander”.
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.