Japanese symbol for “invite”
誘う
さそう
Romaji: sasou
to invite; to ask (someone to do); to call (for); to take (someone) along
In Japanese, invite is 誘う, read さそう (sasou).
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
- v5u, vt to invite; to ask (someone to do); to call (for); to take (someone) along
- v5u, vt to tempt; to lure; to entice; to seduce
- v5u, vt to induce (tears, laughter, sleepiness, etc.); to arouse (e.g. sympathy); to provoke
Written forms: 誘う. Readings: さそう、いざなう.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “invite”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 呼ぶ | よぶ yobu | to invite |
| 招く | まねく maneku | to invite; to ask |
| 乞う | こう kou | to beg; to ask; to request |
| 買う | かう kau | to incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.); to elicit (e.g. sneers); to invite (e.g. scorn) |
| 召す | めす mesu | to call; to summon; to send for |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 誘導 | ゆうどう yuudou | guidance; leading; induction |
| 誘拐 | ゆうかい yuukai | abduction; kidnapping; kidnaping |
| 誘惑 | ゆうわく yuuwaku | temptation; allurement; lure |
| 勧誘 | かんゆう kan'yuu | invitation; solicitation; canvassing |
| 誘い | さそい sasoi | invitation; introduction |
See also: Chinese symbol for “invite”.
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.