Japanese symbol for “theme”
課題
かだい
Romaji: kadai
subject; theme; issue; matter
In Japanese, theme is 課題, read かだい (kadai).
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 subject; theme; issue; matter
- n homework; assignment
- n problem (that needs solving); task; challenge; question
- n route (in climbing, bouldering, etc.); problem
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “theme”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| テーマ | テーマ teema | theme; topic; subject matter |
| 題 | だい dai | title; subject; theme |
| 主題 | しゅだい shudai | subject; theme; motif |
| 題材 | だいざい daizai | subject; theme |
| ベース | ベース beesu | base; basis; theme |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 課長 | かちょう kachou | section manager; section chief |
| 課税 | かぜい kazei | taxation |
| 課程 | かてい katei | course; curriculum |
| 日課 | にっか nikka | daily routine; daily work; daily lesson |
| 放課後 | ほうかご houkago | after school (at the end of the day) |
| 問題 | もんだい mondai | question (e.g. on a test); problem |
| 話題 | わだい wadai | topic; subject |
| 放題 | ほうだい houdai | (doing) as one pleases; to one's heart's content; letting (something) go unchecked |
See also: Chinese symbol for “theme”.
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.