Japanese symbol for “wriggling”
蠢動
しゅんどう
Romaji: shundou
wriggling; squirming; writhing
In Japanese, wriggling is 蠢動, read しゅんどう (shundou).
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, vi, vs wriggling; squirming; writhing
- n, vi, vs maneuvering (behind the scenes; of insignificant people); manoeuvring; planning mischief
Written forms: 蠢動、惷動. Readings: しゅんどう.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “wriggling”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| くねくね | くねくね kunekune | winding; meandering; wriggling |
| ジタバタ | ジタバタ jitabata | (kicking and) struggling; wriggling; floundering |
| もじもじ | もじもじ mojimoji | bashfully; hesitantly; fidgety |
| ニュルニュル | ニュルニュル nyurunyuru | slithering; wriggling |
| 藻掻き | もがき mogaki | struggle; writhing; wriggling |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 蠢く | うごめく ugomeku | to wriggle; to squirm; to crawl like a worm |
| 蠢かす | うごめかす ugomekasu | to wriggle |
| 愚蠢 | ぐしゅん gushun | foolish; stupid; silly |
| 活動 | かつどう katsudou | activity (of a person, organization, animal, volcano, etc.); action; operation |
| 行動 | こうどう koudou | action; conduct; behaviour |
| 運動 | うんどう undou | exercise; physical training; workout |
| 動物 | どうぶつ doubutsu | animal |
| 移動 | いどう idou | movement; transfer; migration |
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.