Japanese symbol for “license”
免許
めんきょ
Romaji: menkyo
license; licence; permission; permit
In Japanese, license is 免許, read めんきょ (menkyo).
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, vs, vt license; licence; permission; permit; certificate
- n driver's license
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “license”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 許可 | きょか kyoka | permission; approval; authorization |
| 認可 | にんか ninka | approval; license; licence |
| ライセンス | ライセンス raisensu | license; licence |
| 特許 | とっきょ tokkyo | special permission; license; licence |
| 免状 | めんじょう menjou | licence; license; certificate |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 免疫 | めんえき men'eki | immunity; immunization; immunisation |
| 免税 | めんぜい menzei | tax exemption; duty exemption |
| 免除 | めんじょ menjo | exemption; exoneration; discharge |
| 免れる | まぬがれる manugareru | to escape (disaster, death, etc.); to be saved from; to be rescued from |
| 免責 | めんせき menseki | exemption from responsibility |
| 許可 | きょか kyoka | permission; approval; authorization |
| 許す | ゆるす yurusu | to permit; to allow; to approve |
| 特許 | とっきょ tokkyo | patent |
See also: Chinese symbol for “license”.
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.