Japanese symbol for “waist”
腰
こし
Romaji: koshi
lower back; waist; hips; lumbar region
In Japanese, waist is 腰, read こし (koshi).
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
- n lower back; waist; hips; lumbar region
- n body (of hair, noodles, paper, etc.); resilience; spring
Written forms: 腰. Readings: こし、コシ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “waist”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ウエスト | ウエスト uesuto | waist; waistline; waist measurement |
| 胴 | どう dou | trunk; torso; body |
| 腰部 | ようぶ youbu | loins; hips; pelvic region |
| 胴回り | どうまわり doumawari | waist; girth; measurement around waist |
| 神輿 | みこし mikoshi | lower back; waist; hips |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 腰痛 | ようつう youtsuu | lower back pain; lumbago |
| 物腰 | ものごし monogoshi | manner; demeanour; demeanor |
| 弱腰 | よわごし yowagoshi | weak attitude |
| 腰掛け | こしかけ koshikake | seat; bench |
| 足腰 | あしこし ashikoshi | legs and loins; lower body |
| 本腰 | ほんごし hongoshi | strenuous effort; earnestness; seriousness |
See also: Chinese symbol for “waist”.
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.