Japanese symbol for “sharpness”
切れ味
きれあじ
Romaji: kireaji
sharpness; cutting ability
In Japanese, sharpness is 切れ味, read きれあじ (kireaji).
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 sharpness; cutting ability
- n quickness (of wit); incisiveness; technical proficiency; skill
- n peppiness (of a ball)
Written forms: 切れ味、斬れ味、切味、斬味. Readings: きれあじ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “sharpness”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 角 | かど kado | rough edges (of one's character, words, etc.); abrasiveness; harshness |
| 切れ | きれ kire | sharpness |
| 鋭 | えい ei | sharpness |
| 刃 | やいば yaiba | sharpness |
| 辣腕 | らつわん ratsuwan | shrewdness; sharpness; astuteness |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 大切 | たいせつ taisetsu | important; significant; serious |
| 一切 | いっさい issai | all; everything; entirety |
| 適切 | てきせつ tekisetsu | appropriate; suitable; fitting |
| 切り | きり kiri | end; finish; place to stop |
| 切る | きる kiru | to cut; to cut through; to perform (surgery) |
| 親切 | しんせつ shinsetsu | kind; gentle; considerate |
| 意味 | いみ imi | meaning; significance; sense |
| 興味 | きょうみ kyoumi | interest (in something); curiosity (about something); zest (for) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “sharpness”.
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.