Japanese symbol for “scandalous”
言語道断
ごんごどうだん
Romaji: gongodoudan
outrageous; preposterous; scandalous; inexcusable
In Japanese, scandalous is 言語道断, read ごんごどうだん (gongodoudan).
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
- adj-na, adj-no, n outrageous; preposterous; scandalous; inexcusable; absurd; execrable
Written forms: 言語道断、言語同断、言語道斷. Readings: ごんごどうだん.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “scandalous”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 苦々しい | にがにがしい niganigashii | unpleasant; disgusting; loathsome |
| スキャンダラス | スキャンダラス sukyandarasu | scandalous |
| 不祥 | ふしょう fushou | disgraceful; inauspicious; ill-omened |
| 怪しからん | けしからん keshikaran | outrageous; scandalous; inexcusable |
| 人聞きの悪い | ひとぎきのわるい hitogikinowarui | disreputable; scandalous; disgraceful |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 言う | いう iu | to say; to utter; to declare |
| 言葉 | ことば kotoba | language; dialect |
| 発言 | はつげん hatsugen | statement; remark; observation |
| 宣言 | せんげん sengen | declaration; proclamation; announcement |
| 言語 | げんご gengo | language |
| 一言 | ひとこと hitokoto | single word; a few words; brief comment |
| 英語 | えいご eigo | English (language) |
| 物語 | ものがたり monogatari | story; tale; narrative |
| 報道 | ほうどう houdou | report (of news); reporting; news |
| 判断 | はんだん handan | judgment; judgement; decision |
See also: Chinese symbol for “scandalous”.
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.