Japanese symbol for “hesitation”
迷い
まよい
Romaji: mayoi
hesitation; bewilderment; perplexity; doubt
In Japanese, hesitation is 迷い, read まよい (mayoi).
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 hesitation; bewilderment; perplexity; doubt; indecision
- n illusion; delusion
- n inability to reach enlightenment (Buddh)
Written forms: 迷い、紕い、紕. Readings: まよい.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “hesitation”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 躊躇 | ちゅうちょ chuucho | hesitation; indecision; vacillation |
| 遠慮 | えんりょ enryo | reserve; constraint; restraint |
| 猶予 | ゆうよ yuuyo | hesitation; delaying; dawdling |
| 尻込み | しりごみ shirigomi | hesitation; wavering; faltering |
| 逡巡 | しゅんじゅん shunjun | hesitation; indecision |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 迷惑 | めいわく meiwaku | trouble; bother; annoyance |
| 迷う | まよう mayou | to lose one's way; to get lost; to go astray |
| 迷子 | まいご maigo | lost child; lost person; stray child |
| 低迷 | ていめい teimei | hanging low (of clouds) |
| 迷路 | めいろ meiro | maze; labyrinth |
See also: Chinese symbol for “hesitation”.
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.