Japanese symbol for “scum”
上皮
うわかわ
Romaji: uwakawa
outer layer (e.g. of skin); cuticle; epidermis; bark
In Japanese, scum is 上皮, read うわかわ (uwakawa).
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-no, n outer layer (e.g. of skin); cuticle; epidermis; bark; rind; crust
- adj-no, n epithelium (anat)
Written forms: 上皮. Readings: うわかわ、じょうひ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “scum”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 屑 | くず kuzu | scum; piece of trash; loser |
| 灰汁 | あく aku | scum (on a soup, broth etc.) |
| 上っ皮 | うわっかわ uwakkawa | outer layer (e.g. of skin); cuticle; epidermis |
| 蛆虫 | うじむし ujimushi | worm; scum |
| 滓 | かす kasu | dregs (e.g. of society); scum; dross |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 以上 | いじょう ijou | not less than ...; ... and over; ... and above |
| 売り上げ | うりあげ uriage | amount sold; sales; proceeds |
| 上昇 | じょうしょう joushou | rising; ascending; climbing |
| 向上 | こうじょう koujou | elevation; rise; improvement |
| 上司 | じょうし joushi | (one's) superior; (one's) boss; the higher-ups |
| 地上 | ちじょう chijou | above ground; on the ground; earth's surface |
| 皮膚 | ひふ hifu | skin |
| 皮肉 | ひにく hiniku | irony; sarcasm; cynicism |
See also: Chinese symbol for “scum”.
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.
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