Japanese symbol for “dart”
剣
けん
Romaji: ken
sword (esp. a large, double-edged one); blade
In Japanese, dart is 剣, read けん (ken).
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 sword (esp. a large, double-edged one); blade
- n bayonet
- n swordsmanship
- n stinger; ovipositor; dart (zool)
Written forms: 剣、劒、劍. Readings: けん、つるぎ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “dart”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 吹き針 | ふきばり fukibari | (blowgun) dart |
| 吹き矢 | ふきや fukiya | (blowgun) dart |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 真剣 | しんけん shinken | serious; earnest |
| 剣道 | けんどう kendou | kendo; Japanese martial art using bamboo swords |
| 刀剣 | とうけん touken | sword; dagger; knife |
| 剣士 | けんし kenshi | swordsman; swordswoman; fencer |
| 銃剣 | じゅうけん juuken | bayonet |
| 剣豪 | けんごう kengou | great swordsman; master fencer |
See also: Chinese symbol for “dart”.
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.