Japanese symbol for “investigation”
調査
ちょうさ
Romaji: chousa
investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry
In Japanese, investigation is 調査, read ちょうさ (chousa).
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, vs, vt investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry; survey
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “investigation”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 調べ | しらべ shirabe | investigation; inspection; examination |
| 研究 | けんきゅう kenkyuu | research; study; investigation |
| 追及 | ついきゅう tsuikyuu | investigation (e.g. into someone's guilt); questioning; pressing |
| 取り調べ | とりしらべ torishirabe | investigation (e.g. by police or prosecutors); examination; inquiry |
| 捜査 | そうさ sousa | search (esp. in criminal investigations); investigation; inquiry |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 調べ | しらべ shirabe | investigation; inspection; examination |
| 調整 | ちょうせい chousei | adjustment; regulation; coordination |
| 調子 | ちょうし choushi | tune; tone; key |
| 体調 | たいちょう taichou | physical condition; state of health; shape |
| 順調 | じゅんちょう junchou | favourable; favorable; doing well |
| 検査 | けんさ kensa | inspection (e.g. customs, factory); examination; test |
| 捜査 | そうさ sousa | search (esp. in criminal investigations); investigation; inquiry |
| 審査 | しんさ shinsa | judging; inspection; examination |
See also: Chinese symbol for “investigation”.
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.