Japanese symbol for “magistrate”
奉行
ぶぎょう
Romaji: bugyou
magistrate; shogunate administrator
In Japanese, magistrate is 奉行, read ぶぎょう (bugyou).
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 magistrate; shogunate administrator
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “magistrate”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 判官 | はんがん hangan | judge; magistrate |
| 審問官 | しんもんかん shinmonkan | investigator; inquisitor; hearing officer |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 奉仕 | ほうし houshi | service; ministry; attendance |
| 奉納 | ほうのう hounou | dedication; offering; presentation |
| 信奉 | しんぽう shinpou | belief; faith; adherence |
| 奉公 | ほうこう houkou | live-in domestic service; live-in apprenticeship |
| 町奉行 | まちぶぎょう machibugyou | (Edo-period) town magistrate |
| 行動 | こうどう koudou | action; conduct; behaviour |
| 行う | おこなう okonau | to perform; to do; to conduct oneself |
| 銀行 | ぎんこう ginkou | bank; banking institution |
See also: Chinese symbol for “magistrate”.
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.