Japanese symbol for “hairpin”
笄
こうがい
Romaji: kougai
hairpin
In Japanese, hairpin is 笄, read こうがい (kougai).
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 hairpin
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “hairpin”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| クリップ | クリップ kurippu | hairpin; hair slide; curler |
| ピン留め | ピンどめ pindome | hairpin; bobby pin |
| 指物 | さしもの sashimono | hair ornament; hairpin |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 笄髷 | こうがいわげ kougaiwage | type of Japanese woman's hairstyle using a hairpin (Edo period) |
| 笄ぐる | こうがいぐる kougaiguru | type of Japanese woman's hairstyle using a hairpin (Edo period) |
| 琉球笄 | リュウキュウコウガイ ryuukyuukougai | Kandelia obovata (species of mangrove) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “hairpin”.
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.
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