Japanese symbol for “engine”
機関
きかん
Romaji: kikan
engine
In Japanese, engine is 機関, read きかん (kikan).
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 engine
- n agency; organisation; organization; institution; organ; body
- n system; facility; facilities
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “engine”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| エンジン | エンジン enjin | engine |
| モーター | モーター mootaa | motor; engine |
| 機関車 | きかんしゃ kikansha | locomotive; (train) engine |
| 発動機 | はつどうき hatsudouki | engine |
| エンジン発動機 | エンジンはつどうき enjinhatsudouki | engine |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 機能 | きのう kinou | function; facility; faculty |
| 機会 | きかい kikai | chance; opportunity; occasion |
| 機械 | きかい kikai | machine; mechanism |
| 危機 | きき kiki | crisis; critical situation; emergency |
| 機構 | きこう kikou | mechanism; machinery |
| 関係 | かんけい kankei | relation; relationship; connection |
| 関連 | かんれん kanren | relation; connection; relevance |
| 関心 | かんしん kanshin | concern; interest |
See also: Chinese symbol for “engine”.
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.