Curse in Japanese
"curse" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
3 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "curse". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
呪 is a curse as a spell cast, and the same character is in 呪文 (incantation). 災 is calamity that falls on you. 禍 is misfortune as an evil turn of events. Japanese separates the act of cursing from the misfortune that follows.
Top pick
spell, curse, charm, malediction
Reading: ju
8 strokes · mysterious, dark
Where it comes from
Composed of mouth and elder brother. Elder chanting with mouth.
What it carries
Curse, spell, magic. Represents cursing.
Related kanji for "curse"
curse
sai · mysterious, dark
Composed of river and fire. Disaster of river and fire.
curse
ka · mysterious, peaceful
Composed of altar and phonetic. Disaster from gods.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for curse?
The most common kanji for "curse" is 呪, read as ju. It means spell, curse, charm. Related kanji: 災 (curse), 禍 (curse).
How many strokes does 呪 have?
呪 has 8 strokes.