Japanese symbol for “three”
三
さん
Romaji: san
three; 3
In Japanese, three is 三, read さん (san).
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
- num three; 3
Written forms: 三、３、参、參. Readings: さん、み.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “three”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 三つ | みっつ mittsu | three |
| スリー | スリー surii | three |
| 三本 | さんぼん sanbon | three (long cylindrical things) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 三つ | みっつ mittsu | three |
| 三角 | さんかく sankaku | triangle; triangular shape |
| 第三者 | だいさんしゃ daisansha | third party; third person; outsider |
| 再三 | さいさん saisan | again and again; repeatedly |
| 三角形 | さんかくけい sankakukei | triangle |
| 三振 | さんしん sanshin | strikeout |
See also: Chinese symbol for “three”.
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.