Japanese symbol for “shrub”
木
き
Romaji: ki
tree; shrub; bush
In Japanese, shrub is 木, read き (ki).
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 tree; shrub; bush
- n wood; timber
- n wooden clappers (signalling the beginning or end of a performance)
Written forms: 木、樹. Readings: き.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “shrub”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 低木 | ていぼく teiboku | shrub; shrubbery |
| ブッシュ | ブッシュ busshu | bush; thicket; shrub |
| 灌木 | かんぼく kanboku | bush; shrub |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 木材 | もくざい mokuzai | lumber; timber; wood |
| 木造 | もくぞう mokuzou | wooden; made of wood; wooden construction |
| 木曜 | もくよう mokuyou | Thursday |
| 樹木 | じゅもく jumoku | tree; trees and shrubs |
| 青木 | あおき aoki | Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica); spotted laurel |
| 並木 | なみき namiki | roadside trees; row of trees |
See also: Chinese symbol for “shrub”.
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.