Japanese symbol for “defend”
守る
まもる
Romaji: mamoru
to protect; to guard; to defend
In Japanese, defend is 守る, read まもる (mamoru).
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
- v5r, vt to protect; to guard; to defend
- v5r, vt to keep (i.e. a promise); to abide (by the rules); to observe; to obey; to follow
Written forms: 守る、護る、戍る、守護る. Readings: まもる.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “defend”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 支える | ささえる sasaeru | to support; to prop; to sustain |
| 庇う | かばう kabau | to protect (someone); to look after (e.g. an injured leg); to defend |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 保守 | ほしゅ hoshu | maintenance |
| 守備 | しゅび shubi | defense; defence |
| 遵守 | じゅんしゅ junshu | observance (of laws, rules, etc.); adherence; obeying |
| 留守 | るす rusu | absence; being away from home |
| 守り | まもり mamori | protection; defense; defence |
See also: Chinese symbol for “defend”.
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.