Japanese symbol for “plight”
様
ざま
Romaji: zama
mess; sorry state; plight; sad sight
In Japanese, plight is 様, read ざま (zama).
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 mess; sorry state; plight; sad sight
- suf -ways; -wards
- suf in the act of ...; just as one is ...
- suf manner of ...; way of ...
Written forms: 様、態. Readings: ざま、ザマ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “plight”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 羽目 | はめ hame | plight; fix; bind |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 同様 | どうよう douyou | same; similar; (just) like |
| 様子 | ようす yousu | state (of affairs); situation; circumstances |
| 模様 | もよう moyou | pattern; figure; design |
| 様々 | さまざま samazama | various; varied; diverse |
| 多様 | たよう tayou | diverse; various |
| 皆様 | みなさま minasama | everyone |
See also: Chinese symbol for “plight”.
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.
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