Japanese symbol for “nerd”
オタク
オタク
Romaji: otaku
otaku; geek; nerd; enthusiast
In Japanese, nerd is オタク (otaku).
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, n-suf otaku; geek; nerd; enthusiast
Written forms: —. Readings: オタク、おたく、ヲタク.
Other Japanese words for “nerd”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 厨 | ちゅう chuu | (Internet) troll; nerd; freak |
| ナード | ナード naado | nerd |
| ヲタ | ヲタ ota | otaku; geek; nerd |
| チー牛 | チーぎゅう chiigyuu | nerd; incel; chud |
| ダサ男 | ダサお dasao | uncool man; dork; geek |
See also: Chinese symbol for “nerd”.
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.