Japanese symbol for “govern”
治める
おさめる
Romaji: osameru
to rule; to govern; to reign over; to administer
In Japanese, govern is 治める, read おさめる (osameru).
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
- v1, vt to rule; to govern; to reign over; to administer; to manage (e.g. a household)
- v1, vt to subdue; to suppress; to quell; to settle (e.g. a dispute)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “govern”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 束ねる | たばねる tabaneru | to govern; to manage; to control |
| 統べる | すべる suberu | to rule over; to govern; to command |
| 食す | おす osu | to govern; to rule |
| 治む | おさむ osamu | to govern; to manage |
| 司る | つかさどる tsukasadoru | to rule; to govern; to control |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 政治 | せいじ seiji | politics; government |
| 治療 | ちりょう chiryou | (medical) treatment; care; therapy |
| 明治 | めいじ meiji | Meiji era (1868.9.8-1912.7.30) |
| 自治 | じち jichi | self-government; autonomy |
| 統治 | とうち touchi | rule; reign; government |
| 治安 | ちあん chian | public order; public peace; public security |
See also: Chinese symbol for “govern”.
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.