Japanese symbol for “counterculture”

対抗文化

たいこうぶんか

Romaji: taikoubunka

counterculture

In Japanese, counterculture is 対抗文化, read たいこうぶんか (taikoubunka).

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 counterculture

Kanji and stroke order

対

vis-a-vis, opposite, even

on: タイ、ツイ
kun: あいて、こた.える、そろ.い、つれあ.い

7 strokes · JLPT 2

抗

confront, resist, defy

on: コウ
kun: あらが.う

7 strokes · JLPT 1

文

sentence, literature, style

on: ブン、モン
kun: ふみ、あや

4 strokes · JLPT 3

化

change, take the form of, influence

on: カ、ケ
kun: ば.ける、ば.かす、ふ.ける、け.する

4 strokes · JLPT 2

Other Japanese words for “counterculture”

Word	Reading	Meaning
カウンターカルチャー	カウンターカルチャー kauntaakaruchaa	counterculture

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
対応	たいおう taiou	correspondence (to); equivalence
絶対	ぜったい zettai	absolutely; definitely; unconditionally
対象	たいしょう taishou	target; object (of worship, study, etc.); subject (of taxation, etc.)
対策	たいさく taisaku	measure; step; countermeasure
反対	はんたい hantai	opposition; resistance; antagonism
対立	たいりつ tairitsu	confrontation; opposition; antagonism
抵抗	ていこう teikou	resistance; opposition; standing up to
対抗	たいこう taikou	opposition; rivalry; competition
文化	ぶんか bunka	culture; civilization; civilisation
変化	へんか henka	change; variation; alteration

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.