Details
Description
Martial/Warrior - military arts, bravery in combat.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of stop and halberd. Power to stop battle.
Symbolism
Martial arts, military, bravery. Represents bushido spirit and combat skills.
Spiritual Meaning
In martial arts, transcends combat technique to represent physical and spiritual training. Philosophy of stopping conflict.
Component Breakdown
One + shoot + stop
Words & Expressions
Words written with 武
Four-Character Compounds
我武者羅
がむしゃら
reckless; daredevil; frantic
武陵桃源
ぶりょうとうげん
earthly paradise; Shangri-la
武者修行
むしゃしゅぎょう
traveling about to gain skill in combat (travelling)
武装蜂起
ぶそうほうき
armed uprising
文武両道
ぶんぶりょうどう
being accomplished in both the literary and military arts; doing well in both school and sports
允文允武
いんぶんいんぶ
being versed in the literary and military arts
武運長久
ぶうんちょうきゅう
continued luck in the fortunes of war
武芸百般
ぶげいひゃっぱん
every martial art; all the martial arts
文武兼備
ぶんぶけんび
well up in both literary and military (martial) arts; well skilled in wielding both the sword and the pen
文武百官
ぶんぶひゃっかん
all the officials, both military and civil
文武不岐
ぶんぶふき
scholarship and swordsmanship are one and the same; the literary and the military are the same path
Proverbs & Idioms
武士は食わねど高楊枝
ぶしはくわねどたかようじ
A samurai uses a toothpick even when he hasn't eaten
Maintaining dignity and pride even in hardship
Anime & Manga
るろうに剣心
Rurouni Kenshin
Depicts a swordsman in Meiji era exploring the 'no-kill' philosophy of martial arts
BLEACH
Bleach
Soul reapers fight with katana. Modern expression of martial aesthetics and spirituality
武装少女マキャヴェリズム
Armed Girl's Machiavellism
A well-known work with 武 in its Japanese title.
英雄王、武を極めるため転生す ～そして、世界最強の見習い騎士♀～
Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire
A well-known work with 武 in its Japanese title.
追放されたチート付与魔術師は気ままなセカンドライフを謳歌する。 ～俺は武器だけじゃなく、あらゆるものに『強化ポイント』を付与できるし、俺の意思でいつでも効果を解除できるけど、残った人たち大丈夫？～
The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life
A well-known work with 武 in its Japanese title.
Games
戦国無双
Samurai Warriors
Action game where you become a Sengoku warrior and experience one-man-army combat
View on Amazon →侍道
Way of the Samurai
Action RPG where you live as a samurai and choose your martial path
View on Amazon →Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima
Depicts samurai honor and martial philosophy during the Mongol invasion
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
武田信玄
A legendary warlord known as 'The Tiger of Kai', famous for his 'Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain' war banner.
武蔵坊弁慶
A warrior monk famous for his loyalty to Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his legendary 'standing death' in battle.
孫武
Name contains 武
Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived during the Eastern Zhou period .
Wikipedia宮本武蔵
Name contains 武
Miyamoto Musashi mɯꜜ.sa.ɕi], c. 1583 – 13 June 1645) was a Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist, and writer, who became renowned through stories of…
Wikipedia桓武天皇
Name contains 武
Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 武 mean in Japanese?
武 means warrior, military, chivalry, arms. Martial/Warrior - military arts, bravery in combat.
How do you read 武?
On'yomi: ブ、ム (BU, MU). Kun'yomi: たけ、たけ.し (take, takeshi).
How many strokes does 武 have?
武 has 8 strokes. Its radical is 止 (stop).
Is 武 a good kanji for a tattoo?
武 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means warrior, military, chivalry, arms. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.