Japanese symbol for “squeeze”

In Japanese, squeeze is 絞る, read しぼる (shiboru).

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

1. v5r, vt to wring (towel, rag); to squeeze
2. v5r, vt to squeeze (fruit to extract juice); to press; to extract; to milk; to express milk
3. v5r, vt to rack (one's brains); to strain (one's voice)
4. v5r, vt to extort; to exploit
5. v5r, vt to chew out; to reprimand severely; to rake over the coals; to give a sound scolding; to tell someone off; to scold
6. v5r, vt to drill into; to train

Written forms: 絞る、搾る. Readings: しぼる、シボる.

Kanji and stroke order

↻ Replay stroke order

Other Japanese words for “squeeze”

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

See also: Chinese symbol for “squeeze”.

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.