Japanese symbol for “heir”
跡継ぎ
あとつぎ
Romaji: atotsugi
heir; inheritor
In Japanese, heir is 跡継ぎ, read あとつぎ (atotsugi).
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 heir; inheritor
- n successor
Written forms: 跡継ぎ、後継ぎ、跡継、後継. Readings: あとつぎ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “heir”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 後 | あと ato | descendant; successor; heir |
| 嫡子 | ちゃくし chakushi | heir |
| 跡取り | あととり atotori | heir; heiress; inheritor |
| 家督 | かとく katoku | heir; successor |
| 世継ぎ | よつぎ yotsugi | heir; successor |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 足跡 | あしあと ashiato | footprints |
| 奇跡 | きせき kiseki | miracle; wonder; marvel |
| 遺跡 | いせき iseki | (archeological) remains; ruins; relics |
| 追跡 | ついせき tsuiseki | chase; pursuit; tracking |
| 軌跡 | きせき kiseki | tire track |
| 痕跡 | こんせき konseki | trace; vestige; mark |
| 継続 | けいぞく keizoku | continuation; continuance; maintenance |
| 中継 | ちゅうけい chuukei | relay; hook-up |
See also: Chinese symbol for “heir”.
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.