Japanese symbol for “willow”
柳
やなぎ
Romaji: yanagi
willow (any tree of genus Salix)
In Japanese, willow is 柳, read やなぎ (yanagi).
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 willow (any tree of genus Salix)
- n weeping willow (Salix babylonica)
Written forms: 柳、楊、楊柳. Readings: やなぎ、ようりゅう、ヤナギ.
Kanji and stroke order
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 川柳 | せんりゅう senryuu | senryū; comic haiku; humorous seventeen-mora poem |
| 青柳 | あおやぎ aoyagi | green willow (i.e. one that has budded) |
| 花柳 | かりゅう karyuu | red-light district |
See also: Chinese symbol for “willow”.
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.