Japanese symbol for “unchanging”
常
とこ
Romaji: toko
constant; unchanging; eternal
In Japanese, unchanging is 常, read とこ (toko).
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
- pref constant; unchanging; eternal
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “unchanging”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 変わらぬ | かわらぬ kawaranu | constant; unchanging; unchanged |
| 相も変わらぬ | あいもかわらぬ aimokawaranu | usual; unchanging; eternal |
| 幾久しい | いくひさしい ikuhisashii | everlasting; eternal; continued |
| のっぺら坊 | のっぺらぼう nopperabou | unchanging; featureless; expressionless |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 非常 | ひじょう hijou | emergency |
| 通常 | つうじょう tsuujou | usual; ordinary; normal |
| 常に | つねに tsuneni | always; constantly; at all times |
| 日常 | にちじょう nichijou | everyday; daily; ordinary |
| 異常 | いじょう ijou | abnormal; unusual; extraordinary |
| 正常 | せいじょう seijou | normal; regular |
See also: Chinese symbol for “unchanging”.
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.