Japanese symbol for “partner”
相手
あいて
Romaji: aite
companion; partner; company
In Japanese, partner is 相手, read あいて (aite).
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 companion; partner; company
- n other party; addressee; counterparty
- n opponent (sports, etc.)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “partner”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 仲間 | なかま nakama | companion; fellow; friend |
| 相棒 | あいぼう aibou | partner; pal; accomplice |
| パートナー | パートナー paatonaa | (dance) partner |
| 同類 | どうるい dourui | the same kind; accomplice; partner |
| 相方 | あいかた aikata | partner (esp. in manzai); companion |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 相談 | そうだん soudan | consultation; discussion; discussing |
| 相当 | そうとう soutou | corresponding to (in meaning, function, etc.); being equivalent to |
| 首相 | しゅしょう shushou | prime minister; chancellor (Germany, Austria, etc.); premier |
| 相互 | そうご sougo | mutual; reciprocal |
| 相撲 | すもう sumou | sumo (wrestling) |
| 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 |
See also: Chinese symbol for “partner”.
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.