King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “constrained”

Romaji: kyuukutsu
narrow; tight; cramped

In Japanese, constrained is , read (kyuukutsu).

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

  1. adj-na, n narrow; tight; cramped
  2. adj-na, n formal; stiff; strict; ceremonious; rigid
  3. adj-na, n constrained; uncomfortable
  4. adj-na, n tight (e.g. finances)

Kanji and stroke order

hard up, destitute, suffer
on: キュウ、キョウ
kun: きわ.める、きわ.まる、きわ.まり、きわ.み
15 strokes · JLPT 1
yield, bend, flinch
on: クツ
kun: かが.む、かが.める
8 strokes · JLPT 1

Other Japanese words for “constrained”

WordReadingMeaning
ぎこちない gikochinaiawkward; clumsy; stiff
きづまり kizumariconstrained; uncomfortable; awkward
きのつまる kinotsumaruconstrained; ill at ease
せいげんつき seigentsukilimited; restricted; constrained

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
こんきゅう konkyuupoverty; need; destitution
きゅうち kyuuchidilemma; predicament
きゅうじょう kyuujoudistress; wretched condition
きゅうぼう kyuuboupoverty; destitution; privation
きゅうよ kyuuyoextremity; desperation
りくつ rikutsutheory; reason; logic
たいくつ taikutsutedious; boring; dull
くつじょく kutsujokudisgrace; humiliation

See also: Chinese symbol for “constrained”.

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.

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