Japanese symbol for “intent”
故意
こい
Romaji: koi
intent; intention; bad faith
In Japanese, intent is 故意, read こい (koi).
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
- adj-no, n intent; intention; bad faith
- n mens rea (guilty mind) (law)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “intent”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 意志 | いし ishi | will; volition; intention |
| 一途 | いちず ichizu | single-minded; intent; determined |
| 前提 | ぜんてい zentei | intention; intent; aim |
| 趣旨 | しゅし shushi | goal; intent; object |
| 一筋 | ひとすじ hitosuji | earnest; resolute; intent |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 事故 | じこ jiko | accident; incident; trouble |
| 故障 | こしょう koshou | fault; trouble; breakdown |
| 故郷 | ふるさと furusato | hometown; birthplace; native place |
| 故に | ゆえに yueni | therefore; consequently |
| 何故 | なにゆえ naniyue | why |
| 意味 | いみ imi | meaning; significance; sense |
| 注意 | ちゅうい chuui | attention; notice; heed |
| 意識 | いしき ishiki | consciousness |
See also: Chinese symbol for “intent”.
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.