Japanese symbol for “flattery”
上手
じょうず
Romaji: jouzu
skillful; skilled; proficient; good (at)
In Japanese, flattery is 上手, read じょうず (jouzu).
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, n skillful; skilled; proficient; good (at); adept; clever
- n flattery
Written forms: 上手. Readings: じょうず、じょうて、じょうしゅ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “flattery”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 追従 | ついしょう tsuishou | flattery; sycophancy; adulation |
| 世辞 | せじ seji | flattery; compliment |
| 媚 | こび kobi | flattery; cajolery; flirtation |
| 甘言 | かんげん kangen | sweet words; smooth talk; cajolery |
| 軽薄 | けいはく keihaku | flattery; (insincere) compliments |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 以上 | いじょう ijou | not less than ...; ... and over; ... and above |
| 売り上げ | うりあげ uriage | amount sold; sales; proceeds |
| 上昇 | じょうしょう joushou | rising; ascending; climbing |
| 向上 | こうじょう koujou | elevation; rise; improvement |
| 上司 | じょうし joushi | (one's) superior; (one's) boss; the higher-ups |
| 地上 | ちじょう chijou | above ground; on the ground; earth's surface |
| 相手 | あいて aite | companion; partner; company |
| 選手 | せんしゅ senshu | player (of a sport); athlete; team member |
See also: Chinese symbol for “flattery”.
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.