Japanese symbol for “surpass”
勝る
まさる
Romaji: masaru
to excel; to surpass; to exceed; to have an edge
In Japanese, surpass is 勝る, read まさる (masaru).
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
- v5r, vi to excel; to surpass; to exceed; to have an edge; to be superior; to outrival
- v5r, vi to outweigh; to preponderate
Written forms: 勝る、優る. Readings: まさる.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “surpass”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 上回る | うわまわる uwamawaru | to exceed (esp. figures: profits, unemployment rate, etc.); to surpass; to be more than |
| 乗り越える | のりこえる norikoeru | to surpass (a predecessor); to overtake |
| 越える | こえる koeru | to exceed; to surpass; to be more (than) |
| 過ぎる | すぎる sugiru | to exceed; to surpass; to be above |
| 越す | こす kosu | to surpass; to be better than; to exceed |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 勝利 | しょうり shouri | victory; triumph; win |
| 優勝 | ゆうしょう yuushou | overall victory; championship; winning the title |
| 勝ち | かち kachi | win; victory |
| 勝負 | しょうぶ shoubu | victory or defeat |
| 勝手 | かって katte | one's own convenience; one's way; selfishness |
| 決勝 | けっしょう kesshou | decision of a contest |
See also: Chinese symbol for “surpass”.
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.