Japanese symbol for “extinguish”
消す
けす
Romaji: kesu
to erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out
In Japanese, extinguish 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 “extinguish”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 消し止める | けしとめる keshitomeru | to put out; to extinguish |
| 滅する | めっする messuru | to destroy; to get rid of; to extinguish |
| 滅す | めっす messu | to destroy; to get rid of; to extinguish |
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 “extinguish”.
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.