Japanese symbol for “saliva”
唾
つば
Romaji: tsuba
saliva; spit; spittle
In Japanese, saliva is 唾, read つば (tsuba).
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 saliva; spit; spittle
Written forms: 唾. Readings: つば、つばき.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “saliva”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 唾液 | だえき daeki | saliva; sputum |
| 生唾 | なまつば namatsuba | saliva (in one's mouth) |
| 津液 | しんえき shin'eki | saliva; spit; spittle |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 唾液 | だえき daeki | saliva; sputum |
| 唾棄 | だき daki | disdain; contempt; scorn |
| 固唾 | かたず katazu | saliva held in one's mouth during times of tension |
| 生唾 | なまつば namatsuba | saliva (in one's mouth) |
| 眉唾物 | まゆつばもの mayutsubamono | dubious tale; cock-and-bull story; questionable information |
| 唾液腺 | だえきせん daekisen | salivary gland |
See also: Chinese symbol for “saliva”.
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.