Japanese symbol for “southern”
南
なん
Romaji: nan
southern; south
In Japanese, southern is 南, read なん (nan).
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
- pref southern; south
- n-suf nanban; dish prepared using chili peppers and Welsh onions (food)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “southern”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| サザン | サザン sazan | southern |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 南部 | なんぶ nanbu | southern part; the south (of a region) |
| 南北 | なんぼく nanboku | north and south; north to south |
| 南西 | なんせい nansei | southwest |
| 南東 | なんとう nantou | southeast |
| 南極 | なんきょく nankyoku | South Pole |
| 南米 | なんべい nanbei | South America |
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.