Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of beast and phonetic. Beast with long arms.
Symbolism
Monkey, wisdom, imitation. Famous for Japan's three wise monkeys.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Monkey climbing a tree
Component Breakdown
animal + 袁
Words & Expressions
Words written with 猿
Four-Character Compounds
意馬心猿
いばしんえん
it is hard to keep one's worldly desires and passions in check
心猿意馬
しんえんいば
(being unable to control) one's worldly desires and passions
籠鳥檻猿
ろうちょうかんえん
denied freedom (of how to live one's life); living like a caged bird
猿猴捉月
えんこうそくげつ
trying to reach above one's station and failing; trying to accomplish something beyond one's abilities and failing; monkey catching (a reflection of) the moon (in the water)
Proverbs & Idioms
猿も木から落ちる
さるもきからおちる
Even monkeys fall from trees
Even experts make mistakes
Poetry
初しぐれ猿も小蓑をほしげなり
First winter rain — even the monkey looks like he wants a little straw cape.
Related Figures & Stories
猿丸大夫
Name contains 猿
Sarumaru no Taifu, also known as Sarumaru no Dayū was a waka poet in the early Heian period.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 猿 mean in Japanese?
猿 means monkey.
How do you read 猿?
On'yomi: エン (EN). Kun'yomi: さる (saru).
How many strokes does 猿 have?
猿 has 13 strokes. Its radical is 犬 (dog).
Is 猿 a good kanji for a tattoo?
猿 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means monkey. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:monkey