Japanese symbol for “xiao”
簫
しょう
Romaji: shou
xiao (vertical Chinese bamboo flute)
In Japanese, xiao is 簫, read しょう (shou).
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 xiao (vertical Chinese bamboo flute)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “xiao”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 簫の笛 | しょうのふえ shounofue | xiao (vertical Chinese bamboo flute) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 洞簫 | どうしょう doushou | dongxiao (Chinese bamboo flute similar to a shakuhachi) |
| 排簫 | はいしょう haishou | paixiao (ancient Chinese bamboo panpipes) |
| 簫の笛 | しょうのふえ shounofue | xiao (vertical Chinese bamboo flute) |
| 簫鼓 | しょうこ shouko | flutes and drums |
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.