Japanese symbol for “existential”

実存的

じつぞんてき

Romaji: jitsuzonteki

existential

In Japanese, existential is 実存的, read じつぞんてき (jitsuzonteki).

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-na existential

Kanji and stroke order

実

reality, truth, seed

on: ジツ、シツ
kun: み、みの.る、まこと、みの

8 strokes · JLPT 2

存

exist, suppose, be aware of

on: ソン、ゾン
kun: ながら.える、あ.る、たも.つ、と.う

6 strokes · JLPT 2

的

bull's eye, mark, target

on: テキ
kun: まと

8 strokes · JLPT 2

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
実際	じっさい jissai	reality; actuality; truth
実は	じつは jitsuha	as a matter of fact; by the way; to tell you the truth
事実	じじつ jijitsu	fact; truth; reality
現実	げんじつ genjitsu	reality; actuality; hard fact
実施	じっし jisshi	enforcement; implementation; putting into practice
確実	かくじつ kakujitsu	certain; sure; definite
存在	そんざい sonzai	existence; being; presence
保存	ほぞん hozon	preservation; conservation; storage
目的	もくてき mokuteki	purpose; goal; aim

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.