Japanese symbol for “losing”
負け
まけ
Romaji: make
defeat; loss; losing (a game)
In Japanese, losing is 負け, read まけ (make).
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 defeat; loss; losing (a game)
- suf failing to live up to (one's name, looks, etc.)
- n discount; loss (on a sale)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “losing”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 落とし | おとし otoshi | dropping; losing |
| 逸失 | いっしつ isshitsu | losing (something); loss |
| 忘失 | ぼうしつ boushitsu | forgetting; losing |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 負担 | ふたん futan | burden; load; responsibility |
| 勝負 | しょうぶ shoubu | victory or defeat |
| 負傷 | ふしょう fushou | injury; wound |
| 負債 | ふさい fusai | debt; liabilities |
| 負う | おう ou | to carry on one's back; to bear; to shoulder |
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.