Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of tree and public. Public tree.
Symbolism
Pine-bamboo-plum, longevity, evergreen. Represents permanence.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Under a great tree
Seasonal
Symbolizes New Year as kadomatsu. Matsu-no-uchi is New Year period. Evergreen representing longevity and constancy.
Component Breakdown
tree + 公
Words & Expressions
Words written with 松
Four-Character Compounds
白砂青松
はくしゃせいしょう
white sands and green pines; beautiful coastal scenery
Poetry
誰をかも 知る人にせむ 高砂の 松も昔の 友ならなくに
Whom shall I take now as a friend? Even the ancient pine of Takasago is no friend from the old days.
契りきな かたみに袖を しぼりつつ 末の松山 波越さじとは
Did we not promise, wringing out each other's sleeves, that waves would never cross Sue-no-Matsuyama?
Anime & Manga
おそ松さん
Mr. Osomatsu
A well-known work with 松 in its Japanese title.
リビングの松永さん
Living-Room Matsunaga-san
A well-known work with 松 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
松尾芭蕉
Name contains 松
Matsuo Bashō ; born Matsuo Kinsaku , later known as Matsuo Chūemon Munefusa was the most famous Japanese poet of the Edo period.
Wikipedia松方正義
Name contains 松
Prince Matsukata Masayoshi was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1891 to 1892, and from 1896 to 1898.
Wikipedia近松門左衛門
Name contains 松
Chikamatsu Monzaemon , real name Sugimori Nobumori , was a Japanese dramatist of jōruri, the form of puppet theater that later came to be known as…
Wikipedia後小松天皇
Name contains 松
Emperor Go-Komatsu was the 100th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, and the sixth and final Emperor of the Northern…
WikipediaFrequently Asked Questions
What does 松 mean in Japanese?
松 means pine tree.
How do you read 松?
On'yomi: ショウ (SHOU). Kun'yomi: まつ (matsu).
How many strokes does 松 have?
松 has 8 strokes. Its radical is 木 (tree).
Is 松 a good kanji for a tattoo?
松 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means pine tree. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.