King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “foreman”

Romaji: oyakata
master; boss; chief; foreman

In Japanese, foreman is , read (oyakata).

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

  1. n master; boss; chief; foreman; supervisor
  2. n stable master (sumo)
  3. n craftsman; artisan
  4. n foster parent

Written forms: . Readings: .

Kanji and stroke order

parent, intimacy, relative
on: シン
kun: おや、おや-、した.しい、した.しむ
16 strokes · JLPT 3
direction, person, alternative
on: ホウ
kun: かた、-かた、-がた
4 strokes · JLPT 3

Other Japanese words for “foreman”

WordReadingMeaning
くみちょう kumichouboss (esp. yakuza); foreman
かんとく kantokudirector; superintendent; supervisor
フォアマン foamanforeman
しょくちょう shokuchouforeman

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
ははおや hahaoyamother
ちちおや chichioyafather
りょうしん ryoushinparents; both parents
おやこ oyakoparent and child
しんゆう shin'yuuclose friend; bosom friend; buddy
しんぞく shinzokurelative; relation; kin
ほうほう houhoumethod; way; manner
いっぽう ippouone (esp. of two); the other; one way

See also: Chinese symbol for “foreman”.

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.

Last posts

  1. Buying a Wooden Wakizashi for Two-Sword Practice
  2. Buying Chanbara Swords for Sparring and Competition
  3. What Size Shinai Does a Child Need for Kendo Practice
  4. Best Polypropylene Bokken for Hard Contact Training
  5. Best Foam Swords for Kids Martial Arts and Safe Practice
  6. Are Cold Steel Training Swords Good for Practice
  7. Shinai Maintenance and Essential Tools for Bamboo Care
  8. Best Shinai for Kendo Beginners Choosing Your First Sword
  9. Choosing the Best Bokken for Kendo Kata
  10. Using a Tsuba on Your Bokken for Partner Practice