Ninja in Japanese
"ninja" is written as one word in Japanese. No single kanji carries the meaning on its own.
The characters below are the ones most often used to write "ninja" and related ideas.
Which one to use
忍者 (ninja) is written 忍 endure and 者 person — one who endures, which is closer to the historical role than the English word suggests. 忍 alone means to endure, to bear, and to hide. 隠 is to conceal. 術 is technique, the 術 of 忍術 (ninjutsu).
Top pick
endure, stealth, perseverance
Reading: nin
7 strokes · powerful, mysterious
Where it comes from
Composed of blade and heart. Hiding blade in heart.
What it carries
Endurance, secrecy, ninja. Represents spirit of enduring hardship and keeping secrets.
Related kanji for "ninja"
ninja
in · mysterious
Composed of hill and phonetic. Hiding behind hill.
ninja
jutsu · beautiful, mysterious
Composed of go and phonetic. Way of going.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for ninja?
The most common kanji for "ninja" is 忍, read as nin. It means endure, stealth, perseverance. Related kanji: 隠 (ninja), 術 (ninja).
How many strokes does 忍 have?
忍 has 7 strokes.