Japanese symbol for “steering”
操縦
そうじゅう
Romaji: soujuu
steering; piloting; flying; control
In Japanese, steering is 操縦, read そうじゅう (soujuu).
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, vs, vt steering; piloting; flying; control; operation; handling
- n, vs, vt management (of people); handling; manipulation; maneuvering
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “steering”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 運用 | うんよう un'you | operation (esp. of a boat); steering |
| 操舵 | そうだ souda | steering (of a boat); steerage |
| 舵取り | かじとり kajitori | steering (a boat); helmsman; steersman |
| ステアリング | ステアリング sutearingu | steering |
| ステア | ステア sutea | steer; steering |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 操作 | そうさ sousa | operation; management; handling |
| 体操 | たいそう taisou | gymnastics; physical exercises |
| 操る | あやつる ayatsuru | to operate (e.g. a machine); to handle; to manage |
| 操業 | そうぎょう sougyou | operation (of a machine, factory, fishing boat, etc.); work |
| 節操 | せっそう sessou | integrity; fidelity; constancy |
| 縦横 | じゅうおう juuou | length and width; length and breadth; lengthwise and crosswise |
| 縦断 | じゅうだん juudan | running through (north-south); cutting across; travelling across |
| 縦横無尽 | じゅうおうむじん juuoumujin | freely; right and left; as one pleases |
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.