King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Japanese symbol for “turtle”

Romaji: kame
tortoise; turtle

In Japanese, turtle is , read (kame).

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 tortoise; turtle
  2. n heavy drinker
  3. n turtle crest; turtle mon

Written forms: . Readings: .

Kanji and stroke order

tortoise, turtle
on: キ、キュウ、キン
kun: かめ
11 strokes · JLPT 1

Other Japanese words for “turtle”

WordReadingMeaning
タートル taatoruturtle (esp. a sea turtle)

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

WordReadingMeaning
きれつ kiretsucrack; crevice; fissure
きっこう kikkoutortoiseshell; tortoise shell
かめだせいか kamedaseikaKameda Seika Company
かめのこう kamenokoutortoise shell
でばがめ debagamevoyeur; Peeping Tom
どろがめ dorogameChinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)

See also: Chinese symbol for “turtle”.

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. Best Escrima Sticks for Kids Under Ten
  2. How Many Kali Sticks Should You Own for Training
  3. Best Stick Striking Gear Tire Stands vs Training Dummies
  4. Best Forearm Guards for Stick Drills and Impact Protection
  5. Best Burned-Pattern Rattan Sticks for Gift Giving
  6. Choosing a Stick-Fighting Helmet for Club Sparring
  7. How to Stop Escrima Sticks Slipping with Sweaty Hands
  8. Choosing Soft Sticks for Kids Games and Safe Play
  9. Best Padded Sticks for Self-Defense Training and Safety
  10. Best Lightweight Escrima Sticks for Speed and Quick Strikes