Japanese symbol for “steps”
段
だん
Romaji: dan
step; stair; rung; (flight of) steps
In Japanese, steps is 段, read だん (dan).
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
- ctr, n step; stair; rung; (flight of) steps
- ctr, n shelf; layer; tier
- n grade; level; class
- ctr, n dan (degree of advanced proficiency in martial arts, go, shogi, etc.); rank
- n paragraph; passage
- ctr, n column (of print)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “steps”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 段々 | だんだん dandan | steps; stairs; staircase |
| 脚立 | きゃたつ kyatatsu | stepladder; steps |
| ステップス | ステップス suteppusu | steps |
| 段差 | だんさ dansa | difference in level (e.g. road, footpath); ramp; steps |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 段階 | だんかい dankai | stage; step; phase |
| 手段 | しゅだん shudan | means; way; method |
| 値段 | ねだん nedan | price; cost |
| 普段 | ふだん fudan | usual; normal; everyday |
| 階段 | かいだん kaidan | stairs; stairway; staircase |
| 段ボール | だんボール danbooru | (corrugated) cardboard |
See also: Chinese symbol for “steps”.
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.
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