Japanese symbol for “excel”
勝る
まさる
Romaji: masaru
to excel; to surpass; to exceed; to have an edge
In Japanese, excel is 勝る, read まさる (masaru).
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, vi to excel; to surpass; to exceed; to have an edge; to be superior; to outrival
- v5r, vi to outweigh; to preponderate
Written forms: 勝る、優る. Readings: まさる.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “excel”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 秀でる | ひいでる hiideru | to excel; to surpass; to be superior |
| エクセル | エクセル ekuseru | Excel (spreadsheet application developed by Microsoft) |
| 優れる | すぐれる sugureru | to be better (than); to be superior; to surpass |
| 抜け出る | ぬけでる nukederu | to excel; to stand out |
| 抜きん出る | ぬきんでる nukinderu | to surpass; to outdo; to excel |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 勝利 | しょうり shouri | victory; triumph; win |
| 優勝 | ゆうしょう yuushou | overall victory; championship; winning the title |
| 勝ち | かち kachi | win; victory |
| 勝負 | しょうぶ shoubu | victory or defeat |
| 勝手 | かって katte | one's own convenience; one's way; selfishness |
| 決勝 | けっしょう kesshou | decision of a contest |
See also: Chinese symbol for “excel”.
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.