King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “tribulation”

Romaji: shiren
test; trial; ordeal; tribulation

In Japanese, tribulation is , read (shiren).

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

  1. n test; trial; ordeal; tribulation

Written forms: . Readings: .

Kanji and stroke order

test, try, attempt
on: シ
kun: こころ.みる、ため.す
13 strokes · JLPT 3
practice, gloss, train
on: レン
kun: ね.る、ね.り
14 strokes · JLPT 2

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
しあい shiaimatch; game; bout
しけん shikenexamination; exam; test
ためし tameshitrial; test; try
こころみ kokoromiattempt; trial; experiment
にゅうし nyuushientrance examination
ためす tamesuto try (out); to have a try (at); to test
れんしゅう renshuupractice; training; drill
くんれん kunrentraining; drill; practice

See also: Chinese symbol for “tribulation”.

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.

Last posts

  1. Buying Chanbara Swords for Sparring and Competition
  2. What Size Shinai Does a Child Need for Kendo Practice
  3. Best Polypropylene Bokken for Hard Contact Training
  4. Best Foam Swords for Kids Martial Arts and Safe Practice
  5. Are Cold Steel Training Swords Good for Practice
  6. Shinai Maintenance and Essential Tools for Bamboo Care
  7. Best Shinai for Kendo Beginners Choosing Your First Sword
  8. Choosing the Best Bokken for Kendo Kata
  9. Using a Tsuba on Your Bokken for Partner Practice
  10. How Much Should You Spend on a Wooden Practice Sword