Japanese symbol for “volunteering”
志願
しがん
Romaji: shigan
aspiration; volunteering; desire; application
In Japanese, volunteering is 志願, read しがん (shigan).
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-no, n, vi aspiration; volunteering; desire; application
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “volunteering”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 挺身 | ていしん teishin | offering oneself (for); volunteering (to do); coming forward |
| 無償行為 | むしょうこうい mushoukoui | gratuitous act; volunteering |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 意志 | いし ishi | will; volition; intention |
| 同志 | どうし doushi | like-mindedness; (being of the) same mind; shared sentiment |
| 志向 | しこう shikou | intention; aim; preference (for) |
| 志望 | しぼう shibou | wish; desire; ambition |
| 有志 | ゆうし yuushi | interested person; volunteer; supporter |
| 願い | ねがい negai | desire; wish; hope |
| 願望 | がんぼう ganbou | desire; wish; aspiration |
| 念願 | ねんがん nengan | one's heart's desire; one's dearest wish |
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.