Japanese symbol for “sluice”
堰
せき
Romaji: seki
dam; weir; barrier; sluice
In Japanese, sluice is 堰, read せき (seki).
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 dam; weir; barrier; sluice
Written forms: 堰、井堰. Readings: せき、いせき、い.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 堰堤 | えんてい entei | dam; weir |
| 可動堰 | かどうぜき kadouzeki | canal gates; river gates |
| 堰止湖 | せきとめこ sekitomeko | dammed lake (formed by natural damming of a river, esp. by landslide, volcanic eruption, etc.) |
| 堰板 | せきいた sekiita | sheeting; sheathing board; cover |
| 堰を切る | せきをきる sekiokiru | to break a dam; to burst out |
| 堰塞 | えんそく ensoku | damming (e.g. a pond) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “sluice”.
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.