Japanese symbol for “kinsman”
骨肉
こつにく
Romaji: kotsuniku
one's own flesh and blood; blood relative; kinsman
In Japanese, kinsman is 骨肉, read こつにく (kotsuniku).
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 one's own flesh and blood; blood relative; kinsman
- n flesh and bone; (one's) body
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 骨折 | こっせつ kossetsu | bone fracture |
| 露骨 | ろこつ rokotsu | open; unconcealed; undisguised |
| 鉄骨 | てっこつ tekkotsu | steel frame; steel beam; steel girder |
| 骨格 | こっかく kokkaku | skeleton; skeletal structure; build |
| 背骨 | せぼね sebone | spine; backbone; spinal column |
| 遺骨 | いこつ ikotsu | cremated remains (esp. the bones); ashes |
| 筋肉 | きんにく kinniku | muscle |
| 肉体 | にくたい nikutai | the body; the flesh; the outer man |
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.