Japanese symbol for “heel”
巻
まき
Romaji: maki
roll (e.g. of cloth)
In Japanese, heel is 巻, read まき (maki).
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 roll (e.g. of cloth)
- n winding (e.g. watch)
- n volume (of book)
- n speeding up
- n heel (of a Japanese sandal)
Written forms: 巻、巻き. Readings: まき.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “heel”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ヒール | ヒール hiiru | heel (of a shoe) |
| 耳 | みみ mimi | edge; crust; heel (of bread or cheese) |
| 踵 | かかと kakato | heel (of foot, shoe, stocking, etc.) |
| ヒール役 | ヒールやく hiiruyaku | (role of) heel (in wrestling, films, etc.); bad guy |
| 卑劣漢 | ひれつかん hiretsukan | mean bastard; sneak; heel |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 巻き込む | まきこむ makikomu | to roll up; to enfold; to swallow up |
| 竜巻 | たつまき tatsumaki | tornado; whirlwind; waterspout |
| 巻き添え | まきぞえ makizoe | getting mixed up in; getting embroiled in; involvement |
| 葉巻 | はまき hamaki | cigar |
| 圧巻 | あっかん akkan | highlight; best part |
| 巻き返し | まきかえし makikaeshi | rally; recovery; comeback |
See also: Chinese symbol for “heel”.
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.