Japanese symbol for “goodnight”
乙
おつ
Romaji: otsu
(the) second (party, rank, etc.); B (grade); the latter
In Japanese, goodnight is 乙, read おつ (otsu).
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 (the) second (party, rank, etc.); B (grade); the latter
- adj-na stylish; chic; smart; witty; tasty
- adj-na strange; quaint; queer
- exp thank you; good job
- exp see you; goodbye; goodnight
Written forms: 乙. Readings: おつ、オツ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “goodnight”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お疲れ様 | おつかれさま otsukaresama | see you; goodbye; goodnight |
| お疲れ | おつかれ otsukare | see you; goodbye; goodnight |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 早乙女 | さおとめ saotome | young female rice planter; young girl |
| 甲乙 | こうおつ kouotsu | first and second; A and B |
| 乙女 | おとめ otome | (young) girl; maiden; young lady |
| 乙姫 | おとひめ otohime | younger princess |
| 乙種 | おつしゅ otsushu | B-grade; second-class |
| 乙夜 | いつや itsuya | second division of the night (approx. 9pm to 11pm) |
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.