Japanese symbol for “tasteful”
粋
いき
Romaji: iki
chic; smart; stylish; tasteful
In Japanese, tasteful is 粋, read いき (iki).
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
- adj-na, n chic; smart; stylish; tasteful; refined; sophisticated
- adj-na, n understanding; considerate; thoughtful; sensible
- adj-na, n familiar with worldly pleasures (esp. sexual relations, geisha districts and red-light districts)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “tasteful”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 渋い | しぶい shibui | austere; elegant (and unobtrusive); refined |
| 趣のある | おもむきのある omomukinoaru | tasteful; elegant; refined |
| 小粋 | こいき koiki | stylish; smart; chic |
| センスフル | センスフル sensufuru | tasteful; in good taste; tactful |
| 気の利いた | きのきいた kinokiita | sensible; clever; smart |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 純粋 | じゅんすい junsui | pure; true; genuine |
| 抜粋 | ばっすい bassui | extract; excerpt; selection |
| 生粋 | きっすい kissui | pure; genuine; trueborn |
| 国粋 | こくすい kokusui | national characteristics |
| 無粋 | ぶすい busui | boorish; inelegant; unpolished |
| 粋人 | すいじん suijin | person of refined tastes; sophisticated person |
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.
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