Japanese symbol for “motif”
主題
しゅだい
Romaji: shudai
subject; theme; motif
In Japanese, motif is 主題, read しゅだい (shudai).
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 subject; theme; motif
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “motif”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 動機 | どうき douki | motif |
| テーマ | テーマ teema | theme; topic; subject matter |
| モチーフ | モチーフ mochiifu | motif |
| 画題 | がだい gadai | subject (of a painting); motif; theme |
| 曲想 | きょくそう kyokusou | musical theme; motif |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 主義 | しゅぎ shugi | doctrine; rule; principle |
| 主張 | しゅちょう shuchou | claim; insistence; assertion |
| 民主 | みんしゅ minshu | democracy; popular sovereignty |
| 主催 | しゅさい shusai | sponsorship (i.e. conducting under one's auspices); promotion; organizing |
| 主要 | しゅよう shuyou | chief; main; principal |
| 主人 | しゅじん shujin | head (of a household); proprietor (of a store); proprietress |
| 問題 | もんだい mondai | question (e.g. on a test); problem |
| 話題 | わだい wadai | topic; subject |
See also: Chinese symbol for “motif”.
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.