Japanese symbol for “hobby”
趣味
しゅみ
Romaji: shumi
hobby; pastime
In Japanese, hobby is 趣味, read しゅみ (shumi).
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 hobby; pastime
- n tastes; preference; liking
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “hobby”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 楽しみ | たのしみ tanoshimi | enjoyment; pleasure; amusement |
| 娯楽 | ごらく goraku | amusement; entertainment; recreation |
| 道楽 | どうらく douraku | pastime; hobby; favorite amusement |
| ホビー | ホビー hobii | hobby |
| 余技 | よぎ yogi | avocation; hobby |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 趣旨 | しゅし shushi | meaning; point (e.g. of a statement); gist |
| 趣向 | しゅこう shukou | plan; idea; design |
| 多趣味 | たしゅみ tashumi | having various interests; wide range of interests |
| 趣意 | しゅい shui | opinion; view; purport |
| 意趣 | いしゅ ishu | grudge; malice; spite |
| 意味 | いみ imi | meaning; significance; sense |
| 興味 | きょうみ kyoumi | interest (in something); curiosity (about something); zest (for) |
| 味方 | みかた mikata | friend; ally; supporter |
See also: Chinese symbol for “hobby”.
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.