Japanese symbol for “exchange”
交換
こうかん
Romaji: koukan
exchange; interchange; switching; reciprocity
In Japanese, exchange is 交換, read こうかん (koukan).
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, vs, vt exchange; interchange; switching; reciprocity; barter; substitution
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “exchange”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 交流 | こうりゅう kouryuu | exchange (e.g. cultural); interchange; interaction |
| 市場 | しじょう shijou | market (financial, stock, domestic, etc.); marketplace; exchange |
| 引き換え | ひきかえ hikikae | exchange; conversion |
| 切り替え | きりかえ kirikae | exchange; conversion; replacement |
| 交わす | かわす kawasu | to exchange (messages, greetings, arguments, etc.) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 交通 | こうつう koutsuu | traffic; transportation |
| 交渉 | こうしょう koushou | negotiations; bargaining; discussions |
| 交流 | こうりゅう kouryuu | exchange (e.g. cultural); interchange; interaction |
| 外交 | がいこう gaikou | diplomacy |
| 交代 | こうたい koutai | change; alternation; rotation |
| 乗り換え | のりかえ norikae | transfer (trains, buses, etc.); change; connection |
| 変換 | へんかん henkan | change; conversion; transformation |
| 換算 | かんさん kansan | conversion (e.g. yen to dollars); change; exchange |
See also: Chinese symbol for “exchange”.
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.