Japanese symbol for “unassuming”
控えめ
ひかえめ
Romaji: hikaeme
moderate; reserved; modest; temperate
In Japanese, unassuming is 控えめ, read ひかえめ (hikaeme).
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 moderate; reserved; modest; temperate; restrained; low-key
Written forms: 控えめ、控え目、ひかえ目、控目. Readings: ひかえめ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “unassuming”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 頭が低い | あたまがひくい atamagahikui | humble; modest; unassuming |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 控える | ひかえる hikaeru | to be temperate in; to refrain; to abstain |
| 控訴 | こうそ kouso | appeal to a higher court; intermediate appeal |
| 控え | ひかえ hikae | reserve; spare; backup |
| 控除 | こうじょ koujo | subtraction; deduction (e.g. of tax) |
| 控え室 | ひかえしつ hikaeshitsu | waiting room; anteroom; antechamber |
See also: Chinese symbol for “unassuming”.
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.
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