Japanese symbol for “defection”

亡命

ぼうめい

Romaji: boumei

fleeing from one's country; seeking asylum; defection; emigration (for political reasons)

In Japanese, defection is 亡命, read ぼうめい (boumei).

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, vi, vs fleeing from one's country; seeking asylum; defection; emigration (for political reasons); (going into) exile; becoming a (political) refugee

Kanji and stroke order

亡

deceased, the late, dying

on: ボウ、モウ
kun: な.い、な.き-、ほろ.びる、ほろ.ぶ

3 strokes · JLPT 2

命

fate, command, decree

on: メイ、ミョウ
kun: いのち

8 strokes · JLPT 2

Other Japanese words for “defection”

Word	Reading	Meaning
離反	りはん rihan	estrangement; alienation; disaffection
変節	へんせつ hensetsu	betrayal; defection; treachery
棄教	ききょう kikyou	apostasy; renunciation (e.g. of a religion); defection
背教	はいきょう haikyou	apostasy; renunciation (e.g. of a religion); defection

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
死亡	しぼう shibou	death; dying; mortality
滅亡	めつぼう metsubou	downfall; ruin; collapse
逃亡	とうぼう toubou	escape; flight; running away
亡霊	ぼうれい bourei	departed spirit; soul of the dead
未亡人	みぼうじん miboujin	widow
生命	せいめい seimei	life; existence
革命	かくめい kakumei	revolution
命令	めいれい meirei	order; command; decree

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.