Japanese symbol for “honor”
名誉
めいよ
Romaji: meiyo
honor; honour; credit; glory
In Japanese, honor is 名誉, read めいよ (meiyo).
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
- adj-na, n honor; honour; credit; glory; fame; distinction
- n prestige; dignity; reputation; honor; good name
- n-pref honorary (e.g. president, doctorate)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “honor”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 顔 | かお kao | honor (honour); face; dignity |
| 尊敬 | そんけい sonkei | respect; esteem; reverence |
| 敬意 | けいい keii | respect; honour; honor |
| 義理 | ぎり giri | duty; sense of duty; honor |
| 面目 | めんぼく menboku | face; honour; honor |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 名前 | なまえ namae | name |
| 有名 | ゆうめい yuumei | famous; well-known |
| 名称 | めいしょう meishou | name; title |
| 署名 | しょめい shomei | signature; autograph |
| 本名 | ほんみょう honmyou | real name |
| 栄誉 | えいよ eiyo | honour; honor |
| 誉れ | ほまれ homare | honour; honor; glory |
| 不名誉 | ふめいよ fumeiyo | dishonor; dishonour; disgrace |
See also: Chinese symbol for “honor”.
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.
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