Japanese symbol for “ponder”
考える
かんがえる
Romaji: kangaeru
to think (about, of); to think over; to ponder; to contemplate
In Japanese, ponder is 考える, read かんがえる (kangaeru).
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
- v1, vt to think (about, of); to think over; to ponder; to contemplate; to reflect (on); to meditate (on)
- v1, vt to consider; to bear in mind; to allow for; to take into consideration
- v1, vt to think (that); to believe; to hold (a view); to judge; to conclude; to suspect
- v1, vt to intend (to do); to think of (doing); to plan
- v1, vt to predict; to anticipate; to expect; to imagine
- v1, vt to come up with; to think up; to contrive; to devise
Written forms: 考える、勘える、稽える. Readings: かんがえる.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “ponder”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 考え込む | かんがえこむ kangaekomu | to ponder; to brood |
| 思い入る | おもいいる omoiiru | to ponder; to contemplate |
| 思い回す | おもいまわす omoimawasu | to ponder; to recall |
| 案じる | あんじる anjiru | to think out (e.g. a plan); to work out; to devise |
| 思い巡らす | おもいめぐらす omoimegurasu | to think over; to ponder; to ruminate |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 考え | かんがえ kangae | thinking; thought; view |
| 参考 | さんこう sankou | reference; consultation |
| 思考 | しこう shikou | thought; consideration; thinking |
| 考慮 | こうりょ kouryo | consideration; taking into account |
| 考え方 | かんがえかた kangaekata | way of thinking; point of view; opinion |
See also: Chinese symbol for “ponder”.
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.