Japanese symbol for “shadow”
影
かげ
Romaji: kage
shadow; silhouette; figure; shape
In Japanese, shadow is 影, read かげ (kage).
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 shadow; silhouette; figure; shape
- n reflection; image
- n ominous sign
- n light (stars, moon)
- n trace; shadow (of one's former self)
- n behind; background; other side
Written forms: 影、景. Readings: かげ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “shadow”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 尾行 | びこう bikou | shadow; tail; following |
| 陰影 | いんえい in'ei | shadow; shade; shading |
| 日陰 | ひかげ hikage | shade; shadow |
| 陰り | かげり kageri | shadow (e.g. on someone's happiness); cloud; shade |
| シャドー | シャドー shadoo | shadow |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 影響 | えいきょう eikyou | influence; effect; impact |
| 撮影 | さつえい satsuei | photography (still or motion); photographing; filming |
| 面影 | おもかげ omokage | face; looks; countenance |
| 幻影 | げんえい gen'ei | phantom; vision; illusion |
| 投影 | とうえい touei | projection (of a shadow); casting (a reflection); reflection |
| 人影 | ひとかげ hitokage | figure of a person; figures of people |
See also: Chinese symbol for “shadow”.
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.