Japanese symbol for “incense”
香
こう
Romaji: kou
incense
In Japanese, incense is 香, read こう (kou).
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 incense
Written forms: 香. Readings: こう、こり.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “incense”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 香料 | こうりょう kouryou | fragrance; perfume; incense |
| 抹香 | まっこう makkou | incense; incense powder |
| 薫香 | くんこう kunkou | incense; fragrance |
| 薫物 | たきもの takimono | incense |
| お香 | おこう okou | incense |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 香り | かおり kaori | aroma; fragrance; scent |
| 香港 | ホンコン honkon | Hong Kong |
| 香水 | こうすい kousui | perfume; scent |
| 芳香 | ほうこう houkou | perfume; fragrance; aroma |
| 線香 | せんこう senkou | incense stick |
| 香辛料 | こうしんりょう koushinryou | spice; spices; condiment |
See also: Chinese symbol for “incense”.
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.