Japanese symbol for “tonic”
宮
きゅう
Romaji: kyuu
palace
In Japanese, tonic is 宮, read きゅう (kyuu).
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 palace
- n tonic (of the Japanese and Chinese pentatonic scale)
- n ancient Chinese punishment (castration for men, or confinement for women)
- n, n-suf zodiacal sign
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “tonic”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| トニック | トニック tonikku | tonic |
| 主音 | しゅおん shuon | tonic; keynote |
| 強壮剤 | きょうそうざい kyousouzai | tonic; pick-me-up |
| 強壮薬 | きょうそうやく kyousouyaku | tonic; pick-me-up |
| 気付け | きつけ kitsuke | restorative; stimulant; pick-me-up |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 宮殿 | きゅうでん kyuuden | palace |
| 神宮 | じんぐう jinguu | high-status Shinto shrine with connection to imperial family; imperial Shinto shrine |
| 子宮 | しきゅう shikyuu | womb; uterus |
| 迷宮 | めいきゅう meikyuu | labyrinth; maze |
| 二宮 | にぐう niguu | the Two Ise Shrines |
| 宮内庁 | くないちょう kunaichou | Imperial Household Agency |
See also: Chinese symbol for “tonic”.
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.