Japanese symbol for “son”
息子
むすこ
Romaji: musuko
son
In Japanese, son is 息子, read むすこ (musuko).
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 son
- n penis
Written forms: 息子、息. Readings: むすこ、ムスコ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “son”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 男の子 | おとこのこ otokonoko | boy; son; baby boy |
| 男 | なん nan | son |
| 坊ちゃん | ぼっちゃん botchan | (another's) son; boy; young master |
| 子息 | しそく shisoku | (another's) son |
| 息 | そく soku | son |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 消息 | しょうそく shousoku | news (from someone); letter; contact |
| 利息 | りそく risoku | interest (on a loan, deposit etc.) |
| 窒息 | ちっそく chissoku | suffocation; choking; asphyxia |
| 休息 | きゅうそく kyuusoku | rest; relief; relaxation |
| 生息 | せいそく seisoku | inhabiting; living |
| 子供 | こども kodomo | child; children |
| 女子 | じょし joshi | woman; girl |
| 女の子 | おんなのこ onnanoko | girl; daughter; baby girl |
See also: Chinese symbol for “son”.
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.