Japanese symbol for “irons”
枷
かせ
Romaji: kase
shackles; fetters; irons; handcuffs
In Japanese, irons is 枷, read かせ (kase).
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 shackles; fetters; irons; handcuffs; restraint; constraint
- n bonds (e.g. family); ties; binding relationship; binding relationships; encumbrance
Written forms: 枷、械. Readings: かせ.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 手枷 | てかせ tekase | handcuffs; hand shackles |
| 首枷 | くびかせ kubikase | pillory; burden |
| 手枷足枷 | てかせあしかせ tekaseashikase | manacles; shackles; fetters |
| 口枷 | くちかせ kuchikase | (mouth) gag; muzzle |
| 枷蚯蚓 | かせみみず kasemimizu | Epimenia verrucosa (mollusc) |
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.