Japanese symbol for “recoil”
反動
はんどう
Romaji: handou
reaction; recoil; kick; backlash
In Japanese, recoil is 反動, read はんどう (handou).
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 reaction; recoil; kick; backlash
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “recoil”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 跳ね返る | はねかえる hanekaeru | to rebound; to recoil; to spring back up |
| 引く | ひく hiku | to be put off (by someone's words or behaviour); to be turned off; to recoil (in disgust, etc.) |
| リコイル | リコイル rikoiru | recoil |
| 尻込み | しりごみ shirigomi | hesitation; wavering; faltering |
| 怯む | ひるむ hirumu | to falter; to flinch (from); to recoil (from) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 反対 | はんたい hantai | opposition; resistance; antagonism |
| 反応 | はんのう hannou | reaction; response |
| 違反 | いはん ihan | violation; offense; offence |
| 反発 | はんぱつ hanpatsu | opposition; rebellion; revolt |
| 反省 | はんせい hansei | reflection; reconsideration; introspection |
| 反乱 | はんらん hanran | insurrection; mutiny; rebellion |
| 活動 | かつどう katsudou | activity (of a person, organization, animal, volcano, etc.); action; operation |
| 行動 | こうどう koudou | action; conduct; behaviour |
See also: Chinese symbol for “recoil”.
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.