Japanese symbol for “dramatics”

芝居っ気

しばいっけ

Romaji: shibaikke

striving for effect; heroics; dramatics; showmanship

In Japanese, dramatics is 芝居っ気, read しばいっけ (shibaikke).

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 striving for effect; heroics; dramatics; showmanship; staginess; (exaggerated) theatricality

Kanji and stroke order

芝

turf, lawn

on: シ
kun: しば

6 strokes · JLPT 1

居

reside, to be, exist

on: キョ、コ
kun: い.る、-い、お.る

8 strokes · JLPT 2

気

spirit, mind, air

on: キ、ケ
kun: いき、き

6 strokes · JLPT 4

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
芝居	しばい shibai	play; drama
芝生	しばふ shibafu	lawn; grass; turf
紙芝居	かみしばい kamishibai	kamishibai; storytelling with pictures; form of Japanese street theater and storytelling (popular from the 1930s to the 1950s)
東芝	とうしば toushiba	Toshiba Corporation
芝草	しばくさ shibakusa	lawn; sod; turf
人工芝	じんこうしば jinkoushiba	artificial grass (lawn)
居る	おる oru	to be (animate); to be; to exist
居住	きょじゅう kyojuu	residence; living (at, in); abode
気持ち	きもち kimochi	feeling; sensation; mood

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.