Japanese symbol for “foreword”
序文
じょぶん
Romaji: jobun
preface; foreword; introduction
In Japanese, foreword is 序文, read じょぶん (jobun).
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 preface; foreword; introduction
Written forms: 序文、叙文. Readings: じょぶん.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “foreword”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 序章 | じょしょう joshou | preface; foreword; introduction |
| 前書き | まえがき maegaki | preface; foreword; preamble |
| 序言 | じょげん jogen | foreword; preface; introduction |
| 緒言 | しょげん shogen | foreword; preface |
| 序 | じょ jo | foreword; preface; introduction |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 秩序 | ちつじょ chitsujo | order; discipline; regularity |
| 順序 | じゅんじょ junjo | order; sequence |
| 序盤 | じょばん joban | opening (in a game of go, chess, etc.) |
| 序曲 | じょきょく jokyoku | overture; prelude |
| 序列 | じょれつ joretsu | rank; ranking order; hierarchy |
| 文化 | ぶんか bunka | culture; civilization; civilisation |
| 文字 | もじ moji | letter (of an alphabet); character |
| 注文 | ちゅうもん chuumon | order (for an item) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “foreword”.
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.