Japanese symbol for “millstone”
臼
うす
Romaji: usu
millstone; mortar
In Japanese, millstone is 臼, read うす (usu).
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 millstone; mortar
Written forms: 臼、碓、碾、舂. Readings: うす.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “millstone”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 石臼 | いしうす ishiusu | stone mortar; millstone; quern |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 脱臼 | だっきゅう dakkyuu | dislocation |
| 臼歯 | きゅうし kyuushi | molar (tooth); grinder; premolar |
| 石臼 | いしうす ishiusu | stone mortar; millstone; quern |
| 茶臼 | ちゃうす chausu | tea grinding mortar (hand mill) |
| 臼砲 | きゅうほう kyuuhou | mortar |
| 唐臼 | からうす karausu | mortar |
See also: Chinese symbol for “millstone”.
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.