Japanese symbol for “timid”
弱気
よわき
Romaji: yowaki
timid; weak-kneed; fainthearted
In Japanese, timid is 弱気, read よわき (yowaki).
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, adj-no, n timid; weak-kneed; fainthearted
- adj-na, adj-no, n bearish (stockm)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “timid”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 気弱 | きよわ kiyowa | timid; fainthearted |
| 内気 | うちき uchiki | shy; bashful; timid |
| 臆病 | おくびょう okubyou | cowardly; timid; easily frightened |
| 不甲斐ない | ふがいない fugainai | good-for-nothing; spineless; gutless |
| 気が小さい | きがちいさい kigachiisai | timid; faint-hearted; wimpish |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 弱い | よわい yowai | weak; frail; delicate |
| 弱点 | じゃくてん jakuten | weak point; weakness; shortcoming |
| 弱み | よわみ yowami | (a) weakness; shortcoming; failing |
| 貧弱 | ひんじゃく hinjaku | poor; meagre; meager |
| 脆弱 | ぜいじゃく zeijaku | weak; frail; fragile |
| 気持ち | きもち kimochi | feeling; sensation; mood |
| 人気 | にんき ninki | popularity; public favor |
| 気分 | きぶん kibun | feeling; mood |
See also: Chinese symbol for “timid”.
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.