Japanese symbol for “octopus”
蛸
たこ
Romaji: tako
octopus
In Japanese, octopus is 蛸, read たこ (tako).
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 octopus
- n fool; idiot
Written forms: 蛸、章魚、鮹、鱆. Readings: タコ、たこ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “octopus”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| オクトパス | オクトパス okutopasu | octopus |
| 蛸入道 | たこにゅうどう takonyuudou | octopus; man with a bald or shaven head |
| アクトパス | アクトパス akutopasu | octopus |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 蛸入道 | たこにゅうどう takonyuudou | octopus; man with a bald or shaven head |
| 蛸坊主 | たこぼうず takobouzu | man with a bald or shaven head |
| 蛸足 | たこあし takoashi | many-legged; octopus-like |
| 蛸配当 | たこはいとう takohaitou | bogus dividend |
| 蛸壺 | たこつぼ takotsubo | octopus pot |
| 真蛸 | まだこ madako | common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “octopus”.
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.