Japanese symbol for “crocodile”
鰐
わに
Romaji: wani
crocodile; alligator
In Japanese, crocodile is 鰐, read わに (wani).
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 crocodile; alligator
- n shark
Written forms: 鰐、鱷. Readings: わに、ワニ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “crocodile”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| クロコダイル | クロコダイル kurokodairu | crocodile |
| 鰐魚 | がくぎょ gakugyo | crocodile; alligator; crocodilian |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 鰐口 | わにぐち waniguchi | wide mouth |
| 内鰐 | うちわに uchiwani | knock-kneed; pigeon-toed |
| 鰐鮫 | わにざめ wanizame | ferocious shark |
| 鰐皮 | わにがわ wanigawa | crocodile or alligator skin (hide) |
| 外鰐 | そとわに sotowani | walking with feet pointing outward |
| ナイル鰐 | ナイルわに nairuwani | Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “crocodile”.
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.