Japanese symbol for “wrinkle”
皺
しわ
Romaji: shiwa
wrinkle; crease
In Japanese, wrinkle is 皺, read しわ (shiwa).
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 wrinkle; crease
- n ripple
Written forms: 皺、皴. Readings: しわ、シワ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “wrinkle”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 癖 | くせ kuse | crease; wrinkle; curl |
| ヨレ | ヨレ yore | wrinkle (in paper); crease; wear |
| 皴 | しゅん shun | wrinkle; crease |
| しわが寄る | しわがよる shiwagayoru | to wrinkle; to crinkle; to shrivel |
| 顰める | しかめる shikameru | to screw up (one's face); to scrunch up; to pucker up |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 皺くちゃ | しわくちゃ shiwakucha | crumpled; wrinkled; crinkled |
| 皺烏帽子 | さびえぼし sabieboshi | creased eboshi hat |
| 皺ばむ | しわばむ shiwabamu | to get wrinkled |
| 皺皺 | しわしわ shiwashiwa | crumpled; wrinkled |
| 皺だらけ | しわだらけ shiwadarake | wrinkled; full of wrinkles |
| 皺歯海豚 | しわはいるか shiwahairuka | rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “wrinkle”.
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.