Japanese symbol for “lament”
嘆く
なげく
Romaji: nageku
to lament; to grieve; to regret
In Japanese, lament is 嘆く, read なげく (nageku).
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
- v5k, vi, vt to lament; to grieve; to regret
- v5k, vt to deplore
Written forms: 嘆く、歎く. Readings: なげく.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “lament”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 悔やむ | くやむ kuyamu | to mourn; to lament |
| 哀悼 | あいとう aitou | condolence; regret; tribute |
| 悼む | いたむ itamu | to grieve over; to mourn; to lament |
| 哀歌 | あいか aika | lament (song); elegy; dirge |
| 泣く | なく naku | to lament; to bemoan; to bewail |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 嘆き | なげき nageki | grief; lamentation |
| 嘆願 | たんがん tangan | entreaty; appeal; petition |
| 感嘆 | かんたん kantan | admiration; wonder; astonishment |
| 驚嘆 | きょうたん kyoutan | wonder; admiration; being struck with admiration |
| 悲嘆 | ひたん hitan | grief; sorrow; anguish |
| 嘆息 | たんそく tansoku | sigh (of grief, disappointment, etc.); grieving; lamenting |
See also: Chinese symbol for “lament”.
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.