Japanese symbol for “promise”
約束
やくそく
Romaji: yakusoku
promise; agreement; arrangement; one's word
In Japanese, promise is 約束, read やくそく (yakusoku).
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, vs, vt promise; agreement; arrangement; one's word; contract; pact
- n appointment; engagement; date
- n convention; rule
- n, vs, vt destiny; fate
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “promise”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 見込み | みこみ mikomi | hope; promise; possibility |
| 約 | やく yaku | promise; appointment; engagement |
| 予言 | かねごと kanegoto | promise; prediction |
| 見どころ | みどころ midokoro | (signs of) promise; good prospects (for the future) |
| 行く末 | ゆくすえ yukusue | one's future; one's fate; prospects |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 契約 | けいやく keiyaku | contract; compact; agreement |
| 予約 | よやく yoyaku | reservation; appointment; booking |
| 条約 | じょうやく jouyaku | treaty; pact; convention |
| 婚約 | こんやく kon'yaku | engagement; betrothal |
| 節約 | せつやく setsuyaku | saving (e.g. time, money, resources); economising; economizing |
| 拘束 | こうそく kousoku | restriction; restraint; binding |
| 花束 | はなたば hanataba | bunch of flowers; bouquet |
| 結束 | けっそく kessoku | union; unity; solidarity |
See also: Chinese symbol for “promise”.
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.