Japanese symbol for “skill”
技
わざ
Romaji: waza
technique; art; skill; move
In Japanese, skill is 技, read わざ (waza).
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 technique; art; skill; move
Written forms: 技、伎. Readings: わざ、ぎ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “skill”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 手際 | てぎわ tegiwa | skill; ability; dexterity |
| 熟練 | じゅくれん jukuren | skill; expertise; experience |
| 術 | じゅつ jutsu | art; technique; skill |
| 腕前 | うでまえ udemae | ability; skill; facility |
| 手前 | てまえ temae | skill; dexterity; artistry |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 技術 | ぎじゅつ gijutsu | technology; engineering |
| 競技 | きょうぎ kyougi | game; match; contest |
| 演技 | えんぎ engi | acting; performance |
| 技能 | ぎのう ginou | technical skill; ability; capacity |
| 技師 | ぎし gishi | engineer; technical officer |
| 特技 | とくぎ tokugi | special skill |
See also: Chinese symbol for “skill”.
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.