Japanese symbol for “monster”
怪獣
かいじゅう
Romaji: kaijuu
monster
In Japanese, monster is 怪獣, read かいじゅう (kaijuu).
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 monster
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “monster”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 怪物 | かいぶつ kaibutsu | monster |
| 変形 | へんけい henkei | transformation; variation; metamorphosis |
| モンスター | モンスター monsutaa | monster; monstrosity |
| 妖怪 | ようかい youkai | ghost; apparition; phantom |
| 化け物 | ばけもの bakemono | goblin; apparition; monster |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 怪しい | あやしい ayashii | suspicious; dubious; questionable |
| 妖怪 | ようかい youkai | ghost; apparition; phantom |
| 怪物 | かいぶつ kaibutsu | monster |
| 怪奇 | かいき kaiki | bizarre; strange; weird |
| 怪談 | かいだん kaidan | ghost story; tale of the supernatural |
| 野獣 | やじゅう yajuu | wild beast; wild animal; brute |
| 獣医 | じゅうい juui | veterinarian; veterinary surgeon; vet |
| 猛獣 | もうじゅう moujuu | fierce animal; beast of prey; big game |
See also: Chinese symbol for “monster”.
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.