Japanese symbol for “phylogeny”

系統発生

けいとうはっせい

Romaji: keitouhassei

phylogeny; phylogenesis

In Japanese, phylogeny is 系統発生, read けいとうはっせい (keitouhassei).

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

adj-no, n phylogeny; phylogenesis

Kanji and stroke order

系

lineage, system

on: ケイ

7 strokes · JLPT 1

統

overall, relationship, ruling

on: トウ
kun: す.べる

12 strokes · JLPT 1

発

departure, discharge, publish

on: ハツ、ホツ
kun: た.つ、あば.く、おこ.る、つか.わす

9 strokes · JLPT 3

生

life, genuine, birth

on: セイ、ショウ
kun: い.きる、い.かす、い.ける、う.まれる

5 strokes · JLPT 4

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
系列	けいれつ keiretsu	series; sequence; system
系統	けいとう keitou	system
体系	たいけい taikei	system; organization; organisation
家系	かけい kakei	family lineage
日系	にっけい nikkei	(of) Japanese descent
系譜	けいふ keifu	genealogy; lineage; family tree
大統領	だいとうりょう daitouryou	president (of a country)
伝統	でんとう dentou	tradition; convention
発売	はつばい hatsubai	sale; offering for sale; putting on sale
生活	せいかつ seikatsu	life; living

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.