Japanese symbol for “henchman”
子分
こぶん
Romaji: kobun
henchman; follower
In Japanese, henchman is 子分, read こぶん (kobun).
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 henchman; follower
- n adopted child
Written forms: 子分、乾児、乾分. Readings: こぶん.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “henchman”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 手下 | てした teshita | subordinate; underling; henchman |
| 腹心の部下 | ふくしんのぶか fukushinnobuka | henchman; right-hand man; trusted confidant |
| 子方 | こかた kokata | henchman; follower |
| 小悪党 | こあくとう koakutou | minor villain; small-time crook; henchman |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 子供 | こども kodomo | child; children |
| 女子 | じょし joshi | woman; girl |
| 女の子 | おんなのこ onnanoko | girl; daughter; baby girl |
| 男子 | だんし danshi | boy |
| 息子 | むすこ musuko | son |
| 様子 | ようす yousu | state (of affairs); situation; circumstances |
| 自分 | じぶん jibun | myself; yourself; oneself |
| 部分 | ぶぶん bubun | portion; section; part |
See also: Chinese symbol for “henchman”.
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.