Japanese symbol for “ingenuity”
手前
てまえ
Romaji: temae
before oneself; in front of one; nearby
In Japanese, ingenuity is 手前, read てまえ (temae).
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 before oneself; in front of one; nearby
- n a bit before reaching (a location); this side (of a location)
- n one's standpoint; one's appearance; face; honour
- n skill; dexterity; artistry; ingenuity
- n tea-ceremony procedures
- pn I; me
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “ingenuity”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 知謀 | ちぼう chibou | ingenuity; resourcefulness |
| 捻り | ひねり hineri | ingenuity; sophistication (e.g. of writing style); taste |
| 創意工夫 | そういくふう souikufuu | ingenuity; inventiveness; creative originality |
| 独創性 | どくそうせい dokusousei | creativity; ingenuity |
| お手前 | おてまえ otemae | skill; dexterity; artistry |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 相手 | あいて aite | companion; partner; company |
| 選手 | せんしゅ senshu | player (of a sport); athlete; team member |
| 手段 | しゅだん shudan | means; way; method |
| 手術 | しゅじゅつ shujutsu | surgery; operation; procedure |
| 大手 | おおて oote | major company; big company |
| 手紙 | てがみ tegami | letter; note |
| 名前 | なまえ namae | name |
| 以前 | いぜん izen | before; prior to; ago |
See also: Chinese symbol for “ingenuity”.
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.