Japanese symbol for “simple”
簡単
かんたん
Romaji: kantan
simple; easy; uncomplicated
In Japanese, simple is 簡単, read かんたん (kantan).
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
- adj-na, n simple; easy; uncomplicated
- adj-na, n brief; quick; light
Written forms: 簡単、簡短、簡端. Readings: かんたん.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “simple”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 単純 | たんじゅん tanjun | simple; plain; uncomplicated |
| 簡易 | かんい kan'i | simple; simplified |
| 素朴 | そぼく soboku | simple; artless; naive |
| 容易 | ようい youi | easy; simple; plain |
| 単なる | たんなる tannaru | mere; simple; sheer |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 簡易 | かんい kan'i | simple; simplified |
| 書簡 | しょかん shokan | letter; note; epistle |
| 簡素 | かんそ kanso | simple; plain; modest |
| 簡潔 | かんけつ kanketsu | concise; brief; succinct |
| 簡略 | かんりゃく kanryaku | simple; brief |
| 単位 | たんい tan'i | unit (e.g. meters, grams, etc.); denomination |
| 単純 | たんじゅん tanjun | simple; plain; uncomplicated |
| 単に | たんに tanni | simply; merely; only |
See also: Chinese symbol for “simple”.
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.