Japanese symbol for “knot”
節
せつ
Romaji: setsu
occasion; time
In Japanese, knot is 節, read せつ (setsu).
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 occasion; time
- n section (of a literary work or piece of music); passage; paragraph; verse; stanza
- n clause (gramm)
- n season; term
- n one's principles; integrity
- n node (of a plant stem) (bot)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “knot”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 結び | むすび musubi | knot; knotting |
| 結節 | けっせつ kessetsu | knot; nodule; tubercule |
| 括り | くくり kukuri | knot; tying |
| 結び目 | むすびめ musubime | knot |
| 節目 | ふしめ fushime | knot (in a tree, etc.) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 季節 | きせつ kisetsu | season; time of year |
| 節約 | せつやく setsuyaku | saving (e.g. time, money, resources); economising; economizing |
| 関節 | かんせつ kansetsu | joint |
| 調節 | ちょうせつ chousetsu | regulation; adjustment; control |
| 使節 | しせつ shisetsu | envoy; ambassador; delegate |
| 節目 | ふしめ fushime | turning point; critical juncture |
See also: Chinese symbol for “knot”.
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.