Japanese symbol for “horizontal”
横
よこ
Romaji: yoko
horizontal (as opposed to vertical)
In Japanese, horizontal is 横, read よこ (yoko).
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 horizontal (as opposed to vertical)
- n side-to-side (as opposed to front-to-back); width; breadth
- n side (of a box, etc.)
- n beside; aside; next to
- n unconnected
Written forms: 横. Readings: よこ、ヨコ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “horizontal”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 水平 | すいへい suihei | horizontal; level; even |
| ホリゾンタル | ホリゾンタル horizontaru | horizontal |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 横綱 | よこづな yokozuna | yokozuna (highest rank in sumo); grand champion |
| 横断 | おうだん oudan | crossing (a road, river, etc.); cutting through (e.g. of a river through a town); cutting across |
| 横浜 | よこはま yokohama | Yokohama (city) |
| 横顔 | よこがお yokogao | profile; face in profile; face seen from the side |
| 横領 | おうりょう ouryou | embezzlement; misappropriation; usurpation |
| 横切る | よこぎる yokogiru | to cross (e.g. road); to traverse |
See also: Chinese symbol for “horizontal”.
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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