Japanese symbol for “impulse”
衝動
しょうどう
Romaji: shoudou
impulse; urge; impetus
In Japanese, impulse is 衝動, read しょうどう (shoudou).
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 impulse; urge; impetus
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “impulse”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 衝撃 | しょうげき shougeki | impact; shock; impulse |
| 思いつき | おもいつき omoitsuki | idea; plan; fancy |
| 勢い | いきおい ikioi | impetus; impulse; momentum |
| 刺激 | しげき shigeki | impetus; impulse; stimulus |
| インパルス | インパルス inparusu | impulse |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 衝撃 | しょうげき shougeki | impact; shock; impulse |
| 衝突 | しょうとつ shoutotsu | collision; crash; impact |
| 折衝 | せっしょう sesshou | negotiation |
| 緩衝 | かんしょう kanshou | shock absorption; buffer action; cushioning |
| 要衝 | ようしょう youshou | important point; strategic position; key point |
| 活動 | かつどう katsudou | activity (of a person, organization, animal, volcano, etc.); action; operation |
| 行動 | こうどう koudou | action; conduct; behaviour |
| 運動 | うんどう undou | exercise; physical training; workout |
See also: Chinese symbol for “impulse”.
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.