Japanese symbol for “stern”
厳格
げんかく
Romaji: genkaku
strict; severe; stern; rigid
In Japanese, stern is 厳格, read げんかく (genkaku).
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
- adj-na, n strict; severe; stern; rigid; rigorous; tough
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “stern”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 後部 | こうぶ koubu | rear; stern |
| 船尾 | せんび senbi | stern |
| 険悪 | けんあく ken'aku | stern (expression); hostile (attitude); sharp |
| 謹厳 | きんげん kingen | stern; grave; solemn |
| 厳 | げん gen | strict; stern |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 厳しい | きびしい kibishii | severe; strict; rigid |
| 厳重 | げんじゅう genjuu | strict; severe; stringent |
| 尊厳 | そんげん songen | dignity; majesty; sanctity |
| 厳禁 | げんきん genkin | strict prohibition; ban; interdiction |
| 威厳 | いげん igen | dignity; majesty; solemnity |
| 価格 | かかく kakaku | price; value; cost |
| 性格 | せいかく seikaku | character (of a person); personality; disposition |
| 資格 | しかく shikaku | qualifications; requirements; capabilities |
See also: Chinese symbol for “stern”.
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.