Japanese symbol for “previously”
既に
すでに
Romaji: sudeni
already
In Japanese, previously is 既に, read すでに (sudeni).
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
- adv already
- adv previously; before
- adv undeniably; unmistakably; in the first place
Written forms: 既に、已に. Readings: すでに.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “previously”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 前もって | まえもって maemotte | in advance; beforehand; previously |
| 以前 | いぜん izen | the past; before; previously |
| 予て | かねて kanete | previously; already; for some time |
| 先に | さきに sakini | previously; before; earlier |
| 予め | あらかじめ arakajime | beforehand; in advance; ahead of time |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 既存 | きそん kison | existing |
| 既成 | きせい kisei | established; existing; accomplished |
| 既婚 | きこん kikon | married |
| 既定 | きてい kitei | established; fixed; prearranged |
See also: Chinese symbol for “previously”.
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.