Japanese symbol for “instrument”
道具
どうぐ
Romaji: dougu
tool; implement; instrument; utensil
In Japanese, instrument is 道具, read どうぐ (dougu).
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 tool; implement; instrument; utensil; apparatus; device
- n means
- n furniture
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “instrument”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 器具 | きぐ kigu | utensil; implement; tool |
| 機械 | きかい kikai | instrument; appliance; apparatus |
| 用具 | ようぐ yougu | tool; implement; instrument |
| 器 | き ki | device; instrument |
| 方便 | ほうべん houben | means; expedient; instrument |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 報道 | ほうどう houdou | report (of news); reporting; news |
| 道路 | どうろ douro | road; highway |
| 鉄道 | てつどう tetsudou | railroad; railway; rail transport |
| 北海道 | ほっかいどう hokkaidou | Hokkaido (island, prefectural-level administrative unit) |
| 水道 | すいどう suidou | water supply; water service; waterworks |
| 具合 | ぐあい guai | condition; state |
| 家具 | かぐ kagu | furniture |
| 具体 | ぐたい gutai | concreteness; embodiment |
See also: Chinese symbol for “instrument”.
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.