Japanese symbol for “shame”
恥
はじ
Romaji: haji
shame; embarrassment; disgrace
In Japanese, shame is 恥, read はじ (haji).
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 shame; embarrassment; disgrace
Written forms: 恥、辱、羞、耻. Readings: はじ、じょく.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “shame”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恥辱 | ちじょく chijoku | disgrace; shame; insult |
| 辱め | はずかしめ hazukashime | shame; disgrace |
| 不名誉 | ふめいよ fumeiyo | dishonor; dishonour; disgrace |
| 羞恥 | しゅうち shuuchi | shyness; bashfulness; shame |
| 恥さらし | はじさらし hajisarashi | disgrace; shame |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恥じる | はじる hajiru | to feel ashamed |
| 恥辱 | ちじょく chijoku | disgrace; shame; insult |
| 恥じらう | はじらう hajirau | to feel shy; to be bashful; to blush |
| 羞恥 | しゅうち shuuchi | shyness; bashfulness; shame |
| 恥知らず | はじしらず hajishirazu | shameless; shameless person |
| 恥じらい | はじらい hajirai | shyness; bashfulness |
See also: Chinese symbol for “shame”.
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.