Japanese symbol for “progenitor”
祖
そ
Romaji: so
ancestor; forefather; progenitor
In Japanese, progenitor is 祖, read そ (so).
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 ancestor; forefather; progenitor
- n originator; pioneer; inventor; founder
- n grandfather
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “progenitor”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 元祖 | がんそ ganso | progenitor; primogenitor; founder of a family line |
| 人祖 | じんそ jinso | progenitor |
| パイセン | パイセン paisen | senior (at work or school); superior; elder |
| 太祖 | たいそ taiso | founder; progenitor; emperor |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 祖父 | そふ sofu | grandfather |
| 祖母 | そぼ sobo | grandmother |
| 先祖 | せんぞ senzo | ancestor; forefather; foremother |
| 祖先 | そせん sosen | ancestor |
| 祖国 | そこく sokoku | homeland; motherland; fatherland |
| 元祖 | がんそ ganso | originator; pioneer; inventor |
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.