Japanese symbol for “ladybug”
てんとう虫
てんとうむし
Romaji: tentoumushi
ladybug; ladybird; lady beetle
In Japanese, ladybug is てんとう虫, read てんとうむし (tentoumushi).
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 ladybug; ladybird; lady beetle
- n Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis); harlequin ladybird
Written forms: てんとう虫、天道虫、瓢虫、紅娘. Readings: てんとうむし、テントウムシ.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 昆虫 | こんちゅう konchuu | insect; bug |
| 虫歯 | むしば mushiba | tooth decay; decayed tooth; dental cavity |
| 害虫 | がいちゅう gaichuu | harmful insect; noxious insect; pest |
| 寄生虫 | きせいちゅう kiseichuu | parasite |
| 毛虫 | けむし kemushi | hairy caterpillar; woolly bear |
| 幼虫 | ようちゅう youchuu | larva; grub; maggot |
See also: Chinese symbol for “ladybug”.
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.