Japanese symbol for “pointer”
指針
ししん
Romaji: shishin
needle (compass, gauge, etc.); hand (clock); indicator; pointer
In Japanese, pointer is 指針, read ししん (shishin).
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 needle (compass, gauge, etc.); hand (clock); indicator; pointer; index
- n guiding principle; guideline; guide
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “pointer”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 針 | はり hari | hand (e.g. clock, etc.); pointer |
| ポインタ | ポインタ pointa | pointer (dog breed); English pointer |
| 指し棒 | さしぼう sashibou | pointer; pointing stick |
| 指示棒 | しじぼう shijibou | pointer; pointing stick |
| 鞭 | むち muchi | stick; cane; rod |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 指定 | してい shitei | designation; specification; assignment |
| 指導 | しどう shidou | guidance; leadership; instruction |
| 指摘 | してき shiteki | pointing out; identification |
| 指示 | しじ shiji | indication; denotation; designation |
| 指揮 | しき shiki | command; direction; supervision |
| 指輪 | ゆびわ yubiwa | (finger) ring |
| 方針 | ほうしん houshin | policy; course; plan (of action) |
| 針金 | はりがね harigane | wire |
See also: Chinese symbol for “pointer”.
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.