Japanese symbol for “speak”
話す
はなす
Romaji: hanasu
to talk; to speak; to converse; to chat
In Japanese, speak is 話す, read はなす (hanasu).
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
- v5s, vt to talk; to speak; to converse; to chat
- v5s, vt to tell; to explain; to narrate; to mention; to describe; to discuss
- v5s, vt to speak (a language)
Written forms: 話す、咄す. Readings: はなす.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “speak”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 使う | つかう tsukau | to use (language); to speak |
| 立てる | たてる tateru | to speak (a vow); to make (a wish, prayer, etc.); to declare |
| 仰る | おっしゃる ossharu | to say; to speak; to tell |
| スピーク | スピーク supiiku | speak; speaking |
| 抜かす | ぬかす nukasu | to say; to speak |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 電話 | でんわ denwa | telephone call; phone call |
| 話題 | わだい wadai | topic; subject |
| 会話 | かいわ kaiwa | conversation; talk; chat |
| 対話 | たいわ taiwa | dialogue; conversation; talk |
| 世話 | せわ sewa | care; looking after; help |
| 話し合い | はなしあい hanashiai | discussion; talk; tête-à-tête |
See also: Chinese symbol for “speak”.
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.