Japanese symbol for “shark”
鮫
さめ
Romaji: same
shark
In Japanese, shark is 鮫, read さめ (same).
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 shark
Written forms: 鮫. Readings: サメ、さめ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “shark”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| シャーク | シャーク shaaku | shark |
| 鰐 | わに wani | shark |
| 鱶 | ふか fuka | (large) shark |
| アオナギ | アオナギ aonagi | shark (esp. the blue shark, Prionace glauca) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 鮫肌 | さめはだ samehada | rough skin (like that of a shark) |
| 小判鮫 | こばんざめ kobanzame | remora (any fish of family Echeneidae); suckerfish; sharksucker |
| 蝶鮫 | ちょうざめ chouzame | sturgeon (esp. the green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris) |
| 鰐鮫 | わにざめ wanizame | ferocious shark |
| 鋸鮫 | のこぎりざめ nokogirizame | saw shark (esp. the Japanese saw shark, Pristiophorus japonicus) |
| 青鮫 | あおざめ aozame | shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “shark”.
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.