Japanese symbol for “vibrancy”
壮
そう
Romaji: sou
vibrancy; strength; bravery; manliness
In Japanese, vibrancy is 壮, read そう (sou).
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, n vibrancy; strength; bravery; manliness
- adj-na, n one's prime (around age 30; esp. of a man)
- ctr counter for cones or sticks of moxa burned on the skin (in moxibustion)
Written forms: 壮、草. Readings: そう.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 壮大 | そうだい soudai | magnificent; grand; majestic |
| 壮絶 | そうぜつ souzetsu | heroic; fierce; grand |
| 壮年 | そうねん sounen | prime of life |
| 悲壮 | ひそう hisou | tragic but brave; heroic; grim |
| 壮行 | そうこう soukou | (rousing) send-off; farewell |
| 強壮 | きょうそう kyousou | able-bodied; robust; sturdy |
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.