Japanese symbol for “tin”
缶
かん
Romaji: kan
can; tin
In Japanese, tin is 缶, read かん (kan).
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
- ctr, n can; tin
- n canned food
Written forms: 缶、罐、鑵. Readings: かん、カン.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “tin”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 錫 | すず suzu | tin (Sn) |
| 納税者証明番号 | のうぜいしゃしょうめいばんごう nouzeishashoumeibangou | tax identification number; TIN |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 缶詰 | かんづめ kanzume | canned food; tinned food |
| 空き缶 | あきかん akikan | empty can |
| ドラム缶 | ドラムかん doramukan | drum (e.g. oil, gasoline); metal barrel |
| ツナ缶 | ツナかん tsunakan | tinned tuna; canned tuna |
| 薬缶 | やかん yakan | kettle |
| 缶切り | かんきり kankiri | can opener |
See also: Chinese symbol for “tin”.
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.