Japanese symbol for “subdue”
収める
おさめる
Romaji: osameru
to put (into); to put away (in); to put back (in); to keep (in)
In Japanese, subdue is 収める, read おさめる (osameru).
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 put (into); to put away (in); to put back (in); to keep (in); to store (in); to restore (to its place)
- v1, vt to include (in an anthology, catalogue, etc.); to contain; to publish (in); to capture (on film)
- v1, vt to achieve (results, success, etc.); to obtain; to get; to gain; to win; to make (a profit)
- v1, vt to pay (fees, taxes, etc.); to deliver; to supply
- v1, vt to accept (a gift or money)
- v1, vt to keep (within a limit)
Written forms: 収める、納める. Readings: おさめる.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “subdue”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 抑える | おさえる osaeru | to hold back (e.g. an enemy); to check; to curb |
| 押さえる | おさえる osaeru | to quell; to subdue; to suppress |
| 治める | おさめる osameru | to subdue; to suppress; to quell |
| 屈する | くっする kussuru | to subdue; to overpower |
| 従える | したがえる shitagaeru | to conquer; to subjugate; to subdue |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 収入 | しゅうにゅう shuunyuu | income; earnings; revenue |
| 回収 | かいしゅう kaishuu | collection; recovery; withdrawal |
| 収集 | しゅうしゅう shuushuu | collecting; accumulating; gathering |
| 買収 | ばいしゅう baishuu | acquisition (esp. corporate); buy-out; takeover |
| 吸収 | きゅうしゅう kyuushuu | absorption; suction; attraction |
| 年収 | ねんしゅう nenshuu | annual income |
See also: Chinese symbol for “subdue”.
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.