Japanese symbol for “improper”
不当
ふとう
Romaji: futou
unfair; unjust; wrongful; improper
In Japanese, improper is 不当, read ふとう (futou).
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 unfair; unjust; wrongful; improper; unreasonable; unwarranted
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “improper”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 不可 | ふか fuka | wrong; bad; improper |
| 不適切 | ふてきせつ futekisetsu | unsuitable; inappropriate; improper |
| 不穏当 | ふおんとう fuontou | improper; inappropriate; unjust |
| 不相応 | ふそうおう fusouou | unsuited; inappropriate; improper |
| 淫ら | みだら midara | obscene; indecent; lewd |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 不明 | ふめい fumei | unclear; obscure; indistinct |
| 不安 | ふあん fuan | anxiety; uneasiness; worry |
| 不足 | ふそく fusoku | insufficiency; deficiency; shortage |
| 不満 | ふまん fuman | dissatisfaction; discontent; displeasure |
| 不可能 | ふかのう fukanou | impossible |
| 不思議 | ふしぎ fushigi | wonderful; marvelous; strange |
| 本当 | ほんとう hontou | truth; reality; actuality |
| 当時 | とうじ touji | at that time; in those days |
See also: Chinese symbol for “improper”.
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.