Japanese symbol for “elementary”
初等
しょとう
Romaji: shotou
elementary; primary
In Japanese, elementary is 初等, read しょとう (shotou).
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
- adj-f elementary; primary
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “elementary”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| エレメンタリー | エレメンタリー erementarii | elementary |
| 初歩的 | しょほてき shohoteki | elementary; basic; rudimentary |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 最初 | さいしょ saisho | beginning; outset; first |
| 初期 | しょき shoki | early days; early years; early stages |
| 当初 | とうしょ tousho | beginning; start; outset |
| 初日 | しょにち shonichi | first day; opening day |
| 初めて | はじめて hajimete | for the first time |
| 初心者 | しょしんしゃ shoshinsha | beginner |
| 高等 | こうとう koutou | high class; high grade |
| 平等 | びょうどう byoudou | equality; impartiality; evenness |
See also: Chinese symbol for “elementary”.
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.