Japanese symbol for “nearby”
手前
てまえ
Romaji: temae
before oneself; in front of one; nearby
In Japanese, nearby is 手前, read てまえ (temae).
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 before oneself; in front of one; nearby
- n a bit before reaching (a location); this side (of a location)
- n one's standpoint; one's appearance; face; honour
- n skill; dexterity; artistry; ingenuity
- n tea-ceremony procedures
- pn I; me
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “nearby”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 手元 | てもと temoto | at hand; on hand; nearby |
| 辺り | あたり atari | (in the) neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity |
| 間近 | まぢか majika | near; close (to); nearby |
| 直 | じき jiki | nearby; close |
| 傍ら | かたわら katawara | side; edge; beside |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 相手 | あいて aite | companion; partner; company |
| 選手 | せんしゅ senshu | player (of a sport); athlete; team member |
| 手段 | しゅだん shudan | means; way; method |
| 手術 | しゅじゅつ shujutsu | surgery; operation; procedure |
| 大手 | おおて oote | major company; big company |
| 手紙 | てがみ tegami | letter; note |
| 名前 | なまえ namae | name |
| 以前 | いぜん izen | before; prior to; ago |
See also: Chinese symbol for “nearby”.
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.