Japanese symbol for “grit”
砂
すな
Romaji: suna
sand; grit; fine gravel
In Japanese, grit is 砂, read すな (suna).
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 sand; grit; fine gravel
Written forms: 砂、沙、砂子. Readings: すな、いさご.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “grit”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 根性 | こんじょう konjou | willpower; guts; determination |
| 度胸 | どきょう dokyou | courage; bravery; pluck |
| 気骨 | きこつ kikotsu | (moral) backbone; spirit; soul |
| ど根性 | どこんじょう dokonjou | utter gutsiness; plenty of guts; grit |
| グリット | グリット guritto | grit; willpower; backbone |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 砂糖 | さとう satou | sugar |
| 砂漠 | さばく sabaku | desert |
| 砂浜 | すなはま sunahama | sandy beach |
| 土砂 | どしゃ dosha | sediment; earth and sand |
| 砂丘 | さきゅう sakyuu | sand dune; sand hill |
| 土砂降り | どしゃぶり doshaburi | downpour; pouring rain; heavy rain |
See also: Chinese symbol for “grit”.
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.