Japanese symbol for “playing”
遊び
あそび
Romaji: asobi
play; playing; game
In Japanese, playing is 遊び, read あそび (asobi).
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 play; playing; game
- n pleasure; amusement; pastime; recreation; diversion
- n play (in a mechanism, e.g. a steering wheel); slack
- n flexibility (in a performance, art, etc.); freedom
- n flyleaf
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “playing”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 遊戯 | ゆうぎ yuugi | play; playing; game |
| 着手 | ちゃくしゅ chakushu | playing (a move) |
| プレイ | プレイ purei | playing (a sport); play; game |
| 吹奏 | すいそう suisou | playing (a wind instrument); blowing |
| 吹き | ふき fuki | playing (a wind instrument); player (e.g. clarinet) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 遊ぶ | あそぶ asobu | to play (games, sports); to enjoy oneself; to have a good time |
| 遊戯 | ゆうぎ yuugi | play; playing; game |
| 浮遊 | ふゆう fuyuu | floating; drifting; suspension |
| 周遊 | しゅうゆう shuuyuu | (circular) tour; round trip; excursion |
| 外遊 | がいゆう gaiyuu | foreign travel |
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.