King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “salute”

Romaji: aisatsu
greeting; greetings; salutation; salute

In Japanese, salute is , read (aisatsu).

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

  1. n, vi, vs greeting; greetings; salutation; salute; polite set phrase used when meeting or parting from someone
  2. n, vi, vs speech (congratulatory or appreciative); address
  3. n, vi, vs reply; response
  4. n, vi, vs courtesy visit (to offer condolences, say congratulations, pay respect, introduce oneself, etc.)
  5. n, vi, vs revenge; retaliation
  6. exp a fine thing to say

Kanji and stroke order

approach, draw near, push open
on: アイ
kun: ひら.く
10 strokes
be imminent, draw close
on: サツ
kun: せま.る
9 strokes

Other Japanese words for “salute”

WordReadingMeaning
むかえる mukaeruto go out to meet; to receive; to welcome
けいれい keireisalute; bow
れいほう reihou(gun) salute
きょしゅ kyoshusalute
あたまがさがる atamagasagaruto admire greatly; to salute (in admiration); to take one's hat off to

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
あいさつまわり aisatsumawaricourtesy call; going around to say hello (or goodbye) to everybody; making the rounds
あいさつじょう aisatsujougreeting card
ごあいさつ goaisatsugreeting
いちあいいっさつ ichiaiissatsudialoging (with another Zen practitioner to ascertain their level of enlightenment)
ねんとうあいさつ nentouaisatsuNew Year's greetings

See also: Chinese symbol for “salute”.

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.

Last posts

  1. Best Lightweight Bokken for Older Students and Senior Aikido
  2. Choosing a Bokken for Koryu Practice by School Requirements
  3. Choosing a Bokken Tsuba and Stopper Set for Training
  4. Cotton vs Polyester Hakama Which Is Easier to Maintain
  5. Choosing Your First Bokken for Serious Samurai Training
  6. Are Engraved Bokken Good Gifts and Can You Train With Them
  7. Best Wooden Naginata for Practice and How to Choose Yours
  8. Choosing a Keikogi for Hakama Compatibility and Performance
  9. What Size Hakama Should I Order for Proper Fit
  10. Best Aikido Hakama for Beginners Choosing Your First Pair