Japanese symbol for “step”
歩
ほ
Romaji: ho
step; stride
In Japanese, step is 歩, read ほ (ho).
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 step; stride
- ctr counter for steps
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “step”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 対策 | たいさく taisaku | measure; step; countermeasure |
| 段 | だん dan | step; stair; rung |
| 段階 | だんかい dankai | stage; step; phase |
| 措置 | そち sochi | measure; step; action |
| 処置 | しょち shochi | measure; step; dealing with |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 徒歩 | とほ toho | walking; going on foot |
| 散歩 | さんぽ sanpo | walk; stroll |
| 進歩 | しんぽ shinpo | progress; advance; improvement |
| 歩道 | ほどう hodou | footpath; walkway; sidewalk |
| 譲歩 | じょうほ jouho | concession; conciliation; compromise |
| 歩行 | ほこう hokou | walking; walk |
See also: Chinese symbol for “step”.
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.