残
remainder · leftover · balance
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of bone and phonetic. Bones remaining.
Symbolism
Regret, cruel, overtime. Represents remaining.
Component Breakdown
歹 + 戋
Words & Expressions
Words written with 残
Four-Character Compounds
残忍酷薄
ざんにんこくはく
cruel; heartless; brutal
残念無念
ざんねんむねん
deep regret; bitter disappointment; chagrin
冷酷無残
れいこくむざん
cruel and heartless; merciless; implacable
残酷非道
ざんこくひどう
inhumanity; atrocity; abominable cruelty
残念至極
ざんねんしごく
deep regret; bitter disappointment; chagrin
Proverbs & Idioms
残り物には福がある
のこりものにはふくがある
There is fortune in leftovers
What remains can still be valuable
Poetry
ほととぎす 鳴きつる方を ながむれば ただありあけの 月ぞ残れる
I looked toward where the cuckoo had called, and there was nothing but the dawn moon, still hanging.
Anime & Manga
残響のテロル
Terror in Resonance
A well-known work with 残 in its Japanese title.
ギルドの受付嬢ですが、残業は嫌なのでボスをソロ討伐しようと思います
I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time
A well-known work with 残 in its Japanese title.
空の境界 痛覚残留
the Garden of sinners Chapter 3: ever cry, never life. (Remaining Sense of Pain)
A well-known work with 残 in its Japanese title.
歴史に残る悪女になるぞ
I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History
A well-known work with 残 in its Japanese title.
僕のヒーローアカデミア 生き残れ！決死のサバイバル訓練
My Hero Academia: Make It! Do-or-Die Survival Training
A well-known work with 残 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
“remainder”
“balance”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 残 mean in Japanese?
残 means remainder, leftover, balance.
How do you read 残?
On'yomi: ザン、サン (ZAN, SAN). Kun'yomi: のこ.る、のこ.す、そこな.う、のこ.り (nokoru, nokosu, sokonau, nokori).
How many strokes does 残 have?
残 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 歹 (death).
Is 残 a good kanji for a tattoo?
残 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means remainder, leftover, balance. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.