為
do · change · make · benefit · welfare · be of use · reach to · try · practice · cost · serve as · good · advantage · as a result of
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of training elephant with hand. To do, to act.
Symbolism
Action, purpose, for the sake of. Represents action and purpose.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Where there's a will, there's a way
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
人為淘汰
じんいとうた
artificial selection
無為徒食
むいとしょく
idling one's time away
無為無策
むいむさく
do-nothing, plan-nothing (government, etc.)
有為転変
ういてんぺん
mutability (of worldly affairs); fleeting shifts and changes (of human life)
不法行為
ふほうこうい
tort; illegal act; illegal activity
越権行為
えっけんこうい
exceeding one's authority; abusing one's legal authority; ultra vires activities
無為自然
むいしぜん
abandoning artifice and just being oneself; doing nothing and taking things as they come; unconditioned nature
無為無能
むいむのう
idle and incompetent; accomplishing nothing significant nor being capable of doing so; lacking the talent to do anything but idle away one's time
寂滅為楽
じゃくめついらく
freedom from one's desires (entry into Nirvana) is true bliss
無策無為
むさくむい
do-nothingism; do-nothing, plan-nothing (government, etc.); being an idle onlooker taking no steps to meet the situation
Proverbs & Idioms
為せば成る
なせばなる
If you try, you will succeed
Effort leads to achievement
Anime & Manga
うちの娘の為ならば、俺はもしかしたら魔王も倒せるかもしれない。
If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord
A well-known work with 為 in its Japanese title.
悲劇の元凶となる最強外道ラスボス女王は民の為に尽くします。
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior
A well-known work with 為 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
葛飾応為
Name contains 為
Katsushika Ōi , also known as Ei with the honorific prefix) or Ei-jo , was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the early 19th century Edo period.
Wikipedia源為義
Name contains 為
Minamoto no Tameyoshi was a Japanese samurai lord in the Heian period, who was the head of the Minamoto clan during his lifetime.
Wikipedia長尾為景
Name contains 為
Nagao Tamekage was a retainer of Japanese feudal lord Uesugi Fusayoshi, and a daimyō in his own right, during Japan's Sengoku period.
Wikipedia藤原為家
Name contains 為
Fujiwara no Tameie was a Japanese poet and compiler of Imperial anthologies of poems.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 為 mean in Japanese?
為 means do, change, make, benefit, welfare, be of use, reach to, try, practice, cost, serve as, good, advantage, as a result of.
How do you read 為?
On'yomi: イ (I). Kun'yomi: ため、な.る、な.す、す.る、たり、つく.る、なり (tame, naru, nasu, suru, tari, tsukuru, nari).
How many strokes does 為 have?
為 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 火 (fire).
Is 為 a good kanji for a tattoo?
為 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means do, change, make, benefit, welfare, be of use, reach to, try, practice, cost, serve as, good, advantage, as a result of. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:do · change · make · benefit · welfare · try · practice · cost · good · advantage