Japanese symbol for “preferable”
増し
まし
Romaji: mashi
better; preferable; less objectionable; least-worst
In Japanese, preferable is 増し, read まし (mashi).
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
- adj-na better; preferable; less objectionable; least-worst
- n-suf more; increase; extra
- n increase; growth
Written forms: 増し. Readings: まし、マシ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “preferable”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 望ましい | のぞましい nozomashii | desirable; hoped for; preferable |
| ベター | ベター betaa | better; preferable |
| あり得べき | ありうべき ariubeki | preferable; desirable |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 増加 | ぞうか zouka | increase; rise; growth |
| 増える | ふえる fueru | to increase; to multiply |
| 増税 | ぞうぜい zouzei | tax increase |
| 増大 | ぞうだい zoudai | enlargement; increase |
| 急増 | きゅうぞう kyuuzou | rapid increase; sharp rise; proliferation |
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.