Japanese symbol for “heart”
気
き
Romaji: ki
spirit; mind; heart
In Japanese, heart is 気, read き (ki).
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 spirit; mind; heart
- n nature; disposition
- n intention; mind; will; motivation
- n mood; feelings
- n consciousness
- n care; attention; consideration; worry
Written forms: 気、氣. Readings: き.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “heart”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 心臓 | しんぞう shinzou | heart |
| 中心 | ちゅうしん chuushin | center; centre; middle |
| 精神 | せいしん seishin | mind; spirit; soul |
| 中央 | ちゅうおう chuuou | centre; center; middle |
| 心 | しん shin | heart; mind; spirit |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 気持ち | きもち kimochi | feeling; sensation; mood |
| 人気 | にんき ninki | popularity; public favor |
| 気分 | きぶん kibun | feeling; mood |
| 元気 | げんき genki | lively; full of spirit; energetic |
| 電気 | でんき denki | electricity |
| 雰囲気 | ふんいき fun'iki | atmosphere; mood; ambience |
See also: Chinese symbol for “heart”.
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.