Japanese symbol for “nook”
隅
すみ
Romaji: sumi
corner; nook; recess
In Japanese, nook is 隅, read すみ (sumi).
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 corner; nook; recess
- n downstage right (on a noh stage)
Written forms: 隅、角. Readings: すみ、すま.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “nook”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 片隅 | かたすみ katasumi | corner; nook |
| 一隅 | いちぐう ichiguu | corner; nook |
| 隈 | くま kuma | corner; nook; recess |
| 隅っこ | すみっこ sumikko | corner; nook; recess |
| ヌック | ヌック nukku | nook (small and oft. secluded space in a home) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 片隅 | かたすみ katasumi | corner; nook |
| 四隅 | よすみ yosumi | four corners |
| 一隅 | いちぐう ichiguu | corner; nook |
| 隅っこ | すみっこ sumikko | corner; nook; recess |
| 大隅 | おおすみ oosumi | Ōsumi (former province located in the east of present-day Kagoshima Prefecture, including the Amami Islands) |
| 左隅 | ひだりすみ hidarisumi | left-hand corner; lower left |
See also: Chinese symbol for “nook”.
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.