Japanese symbol for “ordeal”
試練
しれん
Romaji: shiren
test; trial; ordeal; tribulation
In Japanese, ordeal is 試練, read しれん (shiren).
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 test; trial; ordeal; tribulation
Written forms: 試練、試煉、試錬. Readings: しれん.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “ordeal”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 苦杯 | くはい kuhai | bitter cup; bitter experience; bitter defeat |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 試合 | しあい shiai | match; game; bout |
| 試験 | しけん shiken | examination; exam; test |
| 試し | ためし tameshi | trial; test; try |
| 試み | こころみ kokoromi | attempt; trial; experiment |
| 入試 | にゅうし nyuushi | entrance examination |
| 試す | ためす tamesu | to try (out); to have a try (at); to test |
| 練習 | れんしゅう renshuu | practice; training; drill |
| 訓練 | くんれん kunren | training; drill; practice |
See also: Chinese symbol for “ordeal”.
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.
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