Japanese symbol for “frugal”
細かい
こまかい
Romaji: komakai
small
In Japanese, frugal is 細かい, read こまかい (komakai).
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-i small
- adj-i fine; minute
- adj-i minor; trivial
- adj-i sensitive; attentive
- adj-i careful; frugal; stingy
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “frugal”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 小体 | こてい kotei | snug; neat; modest |
| 質素 | しっそ shisso | modest; frugal; reserved |
| 吝嗇 | ケチ kechi | stinginess; miserliness; penny-pinching |
| 慎ましい | つつましい tsutsumashii | frugal; simple; plain |
| 経済的 | けいざいてき keizaiteki | economical; thrifty; frugal |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 詳細 | しょうさい shousai | details; particulars; specifics |
| 細胞 | さいぼう saibou | cell |
| 細菌 | さいきん saikin | bacterium; bacteria; germ |
| 細い | ほそい hosoi | thin; slender; fine |
| 繊細 | せんさい sensai | dainty; delicate (e.g. fingers); fine |
See also: Chinese symbol for “frugal”.
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.