Japanese symbol for “explanation”
説明
せつめい
Romaji: setsumei
explanation; exposition; description; account
In Japanese, explanation is 説明, read せつめい (setsumei).
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 explanation; exposition; description; account; caption; legend
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “explanation”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 解説 | かいせつ kaisetsu | explanation; commentary; exposition |
| 解釈 | かいしゃく kaishaku | interpretation; explanation; reading |
| 弁明 | べんめい benmei | explanation; excuse; clarification |
| 弁解 | べんかい benkai | explanation (e.g. for one's actions); excuse; justification |
| 釈明 | しゃくめい shakumei | explanation; vindication |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 小説 | しょうせつ shousetsu | novel; story; (work of) fiction |
| 解説 | かいせつ kaisetsu | explanation; commentary; exposition |
| 伝説 | でんせつ densetsu | legend; folklore; tradition |
| 説得 | せっとく settoku | persuasion |
| 演説 | えんぜつ enzetsu | speech; address |
| 明日 | あした ashita | tomorrow |
| 明らか | あきらか akiraka | clear; obvious; evident |
| 不明 | ふめい fumei | unclear; obscure; indistinct |
See also: Chinese symbol for “explanation”.
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.