Japanese symbol for “strangle”
絞める
しめる
Romaji: shimeru
to strangle; to constrict
In Japanese, strangle is 絞める, read しめる (shimeru).
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
- v1, vt to strangle; to constrict
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “strangle”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 捻る | ひねる hineru | to strangle (to death); to wring (an animal's neck) |
| 首を絞める | くびをしめる kubioshimeru | to wring the neck; to strangle |
| 縊く | わなく wanaku | to wring the neck; to strangle |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 絞り | しぼり shibori | shibori; tie-dye; tie-dyeing |
| 絞る | しぼる shiboru | to wring (towel, rag); to squeeze |
| 絞首刑 | こうしゅけい koushukei | death by hanging; execution by hanging |
| 絞殺 | こうさつ kousatsu | strangling (to death); strangulation |
| 絞り込む | しぼりこむ shiborikomu | to squeeze; to wring out |
See also: Chinese symbol for “strangle”.
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.