Japanese symbol for “governmental”
公
おおやけ
Romaji: ooyake
official; governmental; formal
In Japanese, governmental is 公, read おおやけ (ooyake).
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-no, n official; governmental; formal
- adj-no, n public (use, matter, forum, etc.); common
- n being public knowledge; being out in the open; exposure to public view
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 公開 | こうかい koukai | opening to the public; making available to the public; exhibiting |
| 公式 | こうしき koushiki | official; formal |
| 公演 | こうえん kouen | public performance |
| 公園 | こうえん kouen | (public) park |
| 公共 | こうきょう koukyou | public (facilities, service, etc.); communal |
| 公表 | こうひょう kouhyou | official announcement; proclamation |
See also: Chinese symbol for “governmental”.
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.