Japanese symbol for “erase”
消す
けす
Romaji: kesu
to erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out
In Japanese, erase is 消す, read けす (kesu).
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
- v5s, vt to erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out; to delete
- v5s, vt to turn off (a light, TV, heater, etc.); to switch off
- v5s, vt to extinguish (a fire, candle, etc.); to put out
- v5s, vt to remove (a smell, pain, etc.); to eliminate; to get rid of; to relieve (pain, anxiety, etc.); to neutralize (poison)
- v5s, vt to drown out (a sound); to deaden; to absorb; to muffle
- v5s, vt to kill; to murder; to bump off; to rub out
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “erase”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| かき消す | かきけす kakikesu | to erase; to drown out (e.g. a voice); to make disappear |
| 削る | けずる kezuru | to delete; to erase; to remove |
| 磨り消す | すりけす surikesu | to erase; to efface; to rub out |
| 消し去る | けしさる keshisaru | to get rid of; to erase; to dispel |
| 拭う | ぬぐう nuguu | to get rid of (an impression, feeling, blemish, etc.); to dispel (e.g. shame); to erase |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 消費 | しょうひ shouhi | consumption; expenditure; spending |
| 解消 | かいしょう kaishou | cancellation; liquidation; resolution |
| 消滅 | しょうめつ shoumetsu | extinction; extinguishment; disappearance |
| 消防 | しょうぼう shoubou | fire fighting |
| 消化 | しょうか shouka | digestion (of food) |
| 取り消し | とりけし torikeshi | cancellation; withdrawal; abolition |
See also: Chinese symbol for “erase”.
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.