Japanese symbol for “cunning”
巧み
たくみ
Romaji: takumi
skillful; adroit; dexterous; masterful
In Japanese, cunning is 巧み, read たくみ (takumi).
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
- adj-na skillful; adroit; dexterous; masterful; clever; ingenious
- n craft; craftsmanship; skill; dexterity; design
- n plot; scheme; artifice; trick
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “cunning”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 悪知恵 | わるぢえ warujie | cunning; craft; guile |
| 悪賢い | わるがしこい warugashikoi | cunning; crafty; wily |
| 老獪 | ろうかい roukai | cunning (acquired with age); astute; crafty |
| 狡い | ずるい zurui | sly; cunning; sneaky |
| 狡猾 | こうかつ koukatsu | sly; cunning; crafty |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 巧妙 | こうみょう koumyou | ingenious; skillful; clever |
| 精巧 | せいこう seikou | elaborate; delicate; exquisite |
| 技巧 | ぎこう gikou | technique; finesse |
| 巧者 | こうしゃ kousha | cleverness; skill; tact |
| 巧拙 | こうせつ kousetsu | skill; workmanship; dexterity |
See also: Chinese symbol for “cunning”.
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.