Japanese symbol for “rearguard”
後衛
こうえい
Romaji: kouei
rearguard; rear guard
In Japanese, rearguard is 後衛, read こうえい (kouei).
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 rearguard; rear guard
- n back (player) (sports)
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 最後 | さいご saigo | end; conclusion |
| 今後 | こんご kongo | from now on; hereafter |
| 午後 | ごご gogo | afternoon; p.m. |
| 後半 | こうはん kouhan | second half; latter half |
| 後ろ | うしろ ushiro | back; behind; rear |
| 直後 | ちょくご chokugo | immediately following |
| 防衛 | ぼうえい bouei | defense; defence; protection |
| 自衛隊 | じえいたい jieitai | Japan Self-Defense Forces; JSDF |
See also: Chinese symbol for “rearguard”.
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.