Japanese symbol for “navel”
臍
へそ
Romaji: heso
navel; belly button
In Japanese, navel is 臍, read へそ (heso).
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 navel; belly button
- n protrusion or depression in the middle of an object
- n center; centre; most important part; main point
Written forms: 臍、𦜝. Readings: へそ、ほぞ、ヘソ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “navel”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お臍 | おへそ oheso | navel; belly button |
| ネーブル | ネーブル neeburu | navel |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 臍帯 | さいたい saitai | umbilical cord |
| 膃肭臍 | おっとせい ottosei | fur seal (esp. the northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus); Alaskan fur seal |
| 臍のゴマ | へそのゴマ hesonogoma | belly-button lint; navel fluff |
| 臍下 | せいか seika | lower abdomen |
| 臍下丹田 | せいかたんでん seikatanden | pit of the stomach |
| 臍繰り | へそくり hesokuri | secret savings; secret stash; money hidden away |
See also: Chinese symbol for “navel”.
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.