Japanese symbol for “cusp”
先端
せんたん
Romaji: sentan
pointed end; tip; point; cusp (of a leaf, crescent moon, etc.)
In Japanese, cusp is 先端, read せんたん (sentan).
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 pointed end; tip; point; cusp (of a leaf, crescent moon, etc.); apex (of a curve)
- n forefront; vanguard; spearhead; leading edge
Written forms: 先端、尖端. Readings: せんたん.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “cusp”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 咬頭 | こうとう koutou | cusp (of a tooth) |
| 茨 | いばら ibara | cusp |
| 尖点 | せんてん senten | cusp |
| 尖頭 | せんとう sentou | pointed end; point; cusp |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 先生 | せんせい sensei | teacher; instructor; master |
| 優先 | ゆうせん yuusen | preference; priority; precedence |
| 先輩 | せんぱい senpai | senior (at school, work, etc.); superior; elder |
| 先日 | せんじつ senjitsu | the other day; a few days ago |
| 先週 | せんしゅう senshuu | last week; the week before |
| 先月 | せんげつ sengetsu | last month |
| 極端 | きょくたん kyokutan | extreme; extremity |
| 半端 | はんぱ hanpa | remnant; fragment; incomplete set |
See also: Chinese symbol for “cusp”.
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.