Japanese symbol for “pillar”
柱
はしら
Romaji: hashira
pillar; post
In Japanese, pillar is 柱, read はしら (hashira).
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 pillar; post
- n support; prop; mainstay
- ctr, suf counter for buddhas, gods, nobles, etc.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “pillar”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 旨 | むね mune | principle; aim; main purpose |
| 中枢 | ちゅうすう chuusuu | centre; center; pivot |
| 一角 | いっかく ikkaku | pillar (of a group, system, etc.); member (of an organization, etc.) |
| 棟梁 | とうりょう touryou | central figure; pillar (e.g. of the nation); mainstay |
| 柱石 | ちゅうせき chuuseki | pillar; cornerstone |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 電柱 | でんちゅう denchuu | utility pole; power pole; telephone pole |
| 支柱 | しちゅう shichuu | prop; stay; support |
| 円柱 | えんちゅう enchuu | column; shaft; cylinder |
| 大黒柱 | だいこくばしら daikokubashira | central pillar (of a building) |
| 氷柱 | つらら tsurara | icicle |
| 火柱 | ひばしら hibashira | pillar of fire; blazing column |
See also: Chinese symbol for “pillar”.
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.