Japanese symbol for “memory”
記憶
きおく
Romaji: kioku
memory; recollection; remembrance
In Japanese, memory is 記憶, read きおく (kioku).
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 memory; recollection; remembrance
- n, vs, vt memory; storage (comp)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “memory”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 覚え | おぼえ oboe | memory; sense; experience |
| 記念 | きねん kinen | commemoration; celebration; remembrance |
| 見覚え | みおぼえ mioboe | memory (of having seen something or someone before); remembrance; recollection |
| メモリー | メモリー memorii | memory |
| 宙 | ちゅう chuu | (from) memory; (by) heart |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 記事 | きじ kiji | article; news story; report |
| 記念 | きねん kinen | commemoration; celebration; remembrance |
| 記録 | きろく kiroku | record; document; minutes |
| 記者 | きしゃ kisha | reporter; journalist |
| 日記 | にっき nikki | diary; journal |
| 憶測 | おくそく okusoku | guess; speculation; supposition |
| 追憶 | ついおく tsuioku | recollection; reminiscence |
| 一次記憶 | いちじきおく ichijikioku | first memory |
See also: Chinese symbol for “memory”.
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.