Japanese symbol for “secede”
退く
どく
Romaji: doku
to step aside; to move (out of the way); to make way
In Japanese, secede is 退く, read どく (doku).
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
- v5k, vi to step aside; to move (out of the way); to make way
- v5k, vi to resign; to retire; to quit; to secede
Written forms: 退く. Readings: どく、のく.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 引退 | いんたい intai | retirement |
| 退職 | たいしょく taishoku | retirement; resignation |
| 脱退 | だったい dattai | withdrawal (e.g. from an organization); secession; leaving |
| 撤退 | てったい tettai | evacuation; withdrawal; revocation |
| 退院 | たいいん taiin | leaving hospital; discharge from hospital |
| 辞退 | じたい jitai | declining; refusal; nonacceptance |
See also: Chinese symbol for “secede”.
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.