Japanese symbol for “helmsman”
舵手
だしゅ
Romaji: dashu
helmsman; steersman; coxswain; cox
In Japanese, helmsman is 舵手, read だしゅ (dashu).
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 helmsman; steersman; coxswain; cox
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “helmsman”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 舵取り | かじとり kajitori | steering (a boat); helmsman; steersman |
| 操舵手 | そうだしゅ soudashu | steersman; helmsman |
| 操縦者 | そうじゅうしゃ soujuusha | pilot (of an aircraft, spacecraft, etc.); operator (of a machine, drone, etc.); steersman |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 操舵 | そうだ souda | steering (of a boat); steerage |
| 舵取り | かじとり kajitori | steering (a boat); helmsman; steersman |
| 面舵 | おもかじ omokaji | starboard (side of a ship) |
| 操舵手 | そうだしゅ soudashu | steersman; helmsman |
| 取り舵 | とりかじ torikaji | port (side of a ship) |
| 相手 | あいて aite | companion; partner; company |
| 選手 | せんしゅ senshu | player (of a sport); athlete; team member |
| 手段 | しゅだん shudan | means; way; method |
See also: Chinese symbol for “helmsman”.
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.