Japanese symbol for “pessimism”
悲観
ひかん
Romaji: hikan
pessimism; (taking a) gloomy view; discouragement; despondency
In Japanese, pessimism is 悲観, read ひかん (hikan).
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, vi, vs pessimism; (taking a) gloomy view; discouragement; despondency; despair; disappointment
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “pessimism”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 厭世 | えんせい ensei | weariness with life; world-weariness; pessimism |
| ペシミズム | ペシミズム peshimizumu | pessimism |
| 苦労性 | くろうしょう kuroushou | nervous temperament; worry habit; pessimistic nature |
| 厭世主義 | えんせいしゅぎ enseishugi | pessimism |
| 悲観論 | ひかんろん hikanron | pessimism |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 悲劇 | ひげき higeki | tragedy; tragic drama; tragic play |
| 悲しみ | かなしみ kanashimi | sadness; sorrow; grief |
| 悲惨 | ひさん hisan | disastrous; tragic; miserable |
| 悲鳴 | ひめい himei | shriek; scream |
| 悲しい | かなしい kanashii | sad; miserable; unhappy |
| 観光 | かんこう kankou | sightseeing; tourism |
| 観測 | かんそく kansoku | observation; survey; measurement |
| 観察 | かんさつ kansatsu | observation; survey; watching |
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.