Japanese symbol for “sickle”
鎌
かま
Romaji: kama
sickle
In Japanese, sickle is 鎌, read かま (kama).
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 sickle
- n leading question; trick question
- n sickle-and-chain (weapon)
- n spear with curved cross-blades
- n gooseneck tenon and mortise joint
- n noisiness
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 鎌倉 | かまくら kamakura | Kamakura (city) |
| 大鎌 | おおがま oogama | scythe |
| 鎖鎌 | くさりがま kusarigama | sickle and chain (weapon) |
| 鎌鼬 | かまいたち kamaitachi | cut in the skin caused by a vacuum formed by a whirlwind |
| 鎌首 | かまくび kamakubi | sickle-shaped neck (e.g. snake, praying mantis); crooked neck; gooseneck |
| 鎌倉彫 | かまくらぼり kamakurabori | Kamakura-style carving |
See also: Chinese symbol for “sickle”.
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.