Japanese symbol for “left”
左
ひだり
Romaji: hidari
left; left-hand side
In Japanese, left is 左, read ひだり (hidari).
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
- adj-no, n left; left-hand side
- n left hand
- n the left (wing); leftist
- n fondness for alcohol; drinker
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “left”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 後 | あと ato | more (e.g. five more minutes); left |
| レフト | レフト refuto | left |
| 左手 | ひだりて hidarite | left-hand side; left-hand direction; (on) the left |
| ＰＹＫ | パヨク payoku | the left (wing); left-winger; leftist |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 左右 | さゆう sayuu | left and right; right and left |
| 左翼 | さよく sayoku | left wing |
| 左手 | ひだりて hidarite | left hand |
| 左側 | ひだりがわ hidarigawa | left side; left-hand side |
| 左派 | さは saha | left wing |
| 左利き | ひだりきき hidarikiki | left-handedness; left-handed person; left-hander |
See also: Chinese symbol for “left”.
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.