King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “cynicism”

Romaji: hiniku
irony; sarcasm; cynicism; satire

In Japanese, cynicism is , read (hiniku).

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, adj-no, n irony; sarcasm; cynicism; satire
  2. adj-na, adj-no, n unexpected; different from what one expected; not as one had planned
  3. n (only) surface; something superficial
  4. n skin and bone; body

Kanji and stroke order

pelt, skin, hide
on: ヒ
kun: かわ
5 strokes · JLPT 2
meat
on: ニク
kun: しし
6 strokes · JLPT 3

Other Japanese words for “cynicism”

WordReadingMeaning
せいあくせつ seiakusetsucynicism (of mankind); belief that human nature is fundamentally evil
シニシズム shinishizumucynicism
シニスム shinisumucynicism

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
ひふ hifuskin
けがわ kegawafur; skin; pelt
かわきり kawakiribeginning; start
だっぴ dappiecdysis; shedding (of skin); sloughing
じゅひ juhibark (of a tree, etc.)
きんにく kinnikumuscle
にくたい nikutaithe body; the flesh; the outer man
ぎゅうにく gyuunikubeef

See also: Chinese symbol for “cynicism”.

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.

Last posts

  1. Best Tai Chi Swords with Scabbards for Daily Training
  2. How Much Should You Spend on a Tai Chi Sword Budgeting Tips
  3. Tai Chi vs Wushu Swords What Sets Them Apart
  4. Are Flexible Wushu Swords Suitable for Tai Chi Forms
  5. Best Unsharpened Tai Chi Jian for Forms and Training
  6. How Heavy Should a Tai Chi Sword Be for Proper Training
  7. Best Wooden Tai Chi Swords for Training and Performance
  8. Collapsible Tai Chi Swords in Parks and Public Transit
  9. Are Telescopic Tai Chi Swords Good for Practice
  10. Best Tai Chi Swords for Beginners and How to Choose Yours