Japanese symbol for “quaint”
昭和
しょうわ
Romaji: shouwa
Shōwa era (1926.12.25-1989.1.7)
In Japanese, quaint is 昭和, read しょうわ (shouwa).
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 Shōwa era (1926.12.25-1989.1.7)
- adj-na reminiscent of the Shōwa era; Shōwa-nostalgic; old-fashioned; quaint; old-school
Written forms: 昭和、㍼. Readings: しょうわ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “quaint”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 乙 | おつ otsu | strange; quaint; queer |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 昭和大学 | しょうわだいがく shouwadaigaku | Showa University |
| 昭栄 | しょうえい shouei | Shoei (motorcycle helmet manufacturing company) |
| 昭代 | しょうだい shoudai | glorious reign; enlightened era |
| 昭和時代 | しょうわじだい shouwajidai | Shōwa period (1926-1989); Showa period |
| 昭昭 | しょうしょう shoushou | clear; bright; plain |
| 平和 | へいわ heiwa | peace; harmony |
| 緩和 | かんわ kanwa | relief; mitigation; alleviation |
| 和解 | わかい wakai | reconciliation; amicable settlement; accommodation |
See also: Chinese symbol for “quaint”.
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.