Japanese symbol for “string”
紐
ひも
Romaji: himo
string; cord
In Japanese, string is 紐, read ひも (himo).
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 string; cord
- n leash
- n man who is financially dependent on a woman; gigolo; pimp
- n restrictions; conditions
- n mantle (shellfish, etc.)
- n small intestine (beef, pork); oviduct meat (chicken) (food)
Written forms: 紐. Readings: ひも、ヒモ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “string”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 糸 | いと ito | thread; yarn; string |
| 筋 | すじ suji | fiber; fibre; string |
| 引っ張る | ひっぱる hipparu | to string (lines); to run (cable); to stretch |
| 緒 | お o | string (of a musical instrument, bow, etc.) |
| 弦 | つる tsuru | string (of shamisen, guitar, violin, etc.) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 紐解く | ひもとく himotoku | to read (a book); to open (a book) to read |
| 組紐 | くみひも kumihimo | braid; plaited cord |
| 紐帯 | ちゅうたい chuutai | tie; social bond; link |
| 腰紐 | こしひも koshihimo | cord tied around the waist of a kimono before an obi is tied |
| 真田紐 | さなだひも sanadahimo | braid |
| 紐育 | ニューヨーク nyuuyooku | New York |
See also: Chinese symbol for “string”.
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.