Japanese symbol for “shiba”
柴犬
しばいぬ
Romaji: shibainu
shiba inu (dog breed); shiba; brushwood dog
In Japanese, shiba is 柴犬, read しばいぬ (shibainu).
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 shiba inu (dog breed); shiba; brushwood dog
Written forms: 柴犬、しば犬. Readings: しばいぬ、しばけん.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 柴垣 | しばがき shibagaki | brushwood fence |
| 柴刈り | しばかり shibakari | firewood gathering |
| 柴舟 | しばふね shibafune | ginger-flavored rice cracker (specialty of Ishikawa Prefecture) |
| 噛柴 | たむしば tamushiba | willow-leafed magnolia (Magnolia salicifolia); anise magnolia |
| 沢柴 | さわしば sawashiba | heartleaf hornbeam (Carpinus cordata) |
| 愛犬 | あいけん aiken | pet dog; beloved dog |
| 飼い犬 | かいいぬ kaiinu | pet dog |
| 野犬 | やけん yaken | stray dog; ownerless dog |
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.