Japanese symbol for “subtleties”
機微
きび
Romaji: kibi
subtleties; niceties; fine points; inner workings
In Japanese, subtleties is 機微, read きび (kibi).
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 subtleties; niceties; fine points; inner workings; secrets
- adj-na subtle; sensitive
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “subtleties”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 陰影 | いんえい in'ei | nuance; shades of meaning; subtleties |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 機能 | きのう kinou | function; facility; faculty |
| 機関 | きかん kikan | engine |
| 機会 | きかい kikai | chance; opportunity; occasion |
| 機械 | きかい kikai | machine; mechanism |
| 危機 | きき kiki | crisis; critical situation; emergency |
| 機構 | きこう kikou | mechanism; machinery |
| 微妙 | びみょう bimyou | subtle; delicate; fine |
| 顕微鏡 | けんびきょう kenbikyou | microscope |
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.