Japanese symbol for “indirect”
又
また
Romaji: mata
again; once more; once again; another time
In Japanese, indirect is 又, read また (mata).
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
- adv again; once more; once again; another time; some other time
- adv also; too; as well; likewise
- adv on the other hand; while
- conj and; in addition; besides; moreover; furthermore
- conj or; otherwise
- adv really; how; (what, why) on earth
Written forms: 又、亦、復. Readings: また.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “indirect”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 遠まわし | とおまわし toomawashi | roundabout (e.g. expression); indirect (reference, criticism, etc.); oblique |
| 間接的 | かんせつてき kansetsuteki | indirect |
| 婉曲 | えんきょく enkyoku | euphemistic; circumlocutory; periphrastic |
| 回りくどい | まわりくどい mawarikudoi | circuitous; roundabout; indirect |
| 迂遠 | うえん uen | roundabout; indirect; circuitous |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 又は | または mataha | or; either ... or ... |
| 猫又 | ねこまた nekomata | nekomata; fork-tailed cat yōkai |
| 又貸し | またがし matagashi | sublease; sublet; lending (something one has borrowed) to someone else |
| 三つ又 | みつまた mitsumata | three-pronged; three-way (e.g. outlet, intersection); trifurcated |
| 又もや | またもや matamoya | once again; yet again |
| 又ね | またね matane | bye; see you later |
See also: Chinese symbol for “indirect”.
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.