Japanese symbol for “illuminate”
照らす
てらす
Romaji: terasu
to shine on; to illuminate
In Japanese, illuminate is 照らす, read てらす (terasu).
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
- v5s, vt to shine on; to illuminate
- v5s, vt to compare (with); to refer to
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “illuminate”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 照らし出す | てらしだす terashidasu | to illuminate; to shine a light on; to light up |
| 光を当てる | ひかりをあてる hikarioateru | to shine light on; to illuminate |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 参照 | さんしょう sanshou | reference (e.g. to a dictionary, passage, footnotes); consultation; comparison |
| 照明 | しょうめい shoumei | illumination; lighting |
| 対照 | たいしょう taishou | contrast; antithesis; comparison |
| 照会 | しょうかい shoukai | inquiry; query; enquiry |
| 照準 | しょうじゅん shoujun | sight (e.g. of a gun); aim; alignment |
See also: Chinese symbol for “illuminate”.
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.