KanjiPadKanji for Samurai — 侍
What 侍 means
侍 is read samurai on its own and ji in compounds. The verb hidden inside it is 侍る (haberu), to wait upon or attend — a samurai was, in the original sense of the word, one who serves. The character is the person radical 亻 beside 寺 (temple), and it is written in eight strokes.
Historically, the class term was 武士 (bushi), “warrior”, and that is the word inside 武士道 (bushidō), the warrior's code. 侍 was the everyday word for a retainer in service to a lord. Modern Japanese uses samurai loosely and fondly — Japan's national football team is 侍ジャパン, Samurai Japan.
Related characters worth knowing: 武 (military, martial), 刀 (the single-edged sword), and 忠 (loyalty). Together they sketch the world 侍 belonged to far more precisely than the one character does alone.
Readings
- Kun
- さむらい、はべ.る
- On
- ジ、シ
Stroke order
Write 侍 in 8 strokes, following the tiles above in order — top to bottom, left to right.
侍 as a tattoo
侍 as a tattoo says “retainer, one who serves” to a Japanese reader before it says “warrior” — some people want exactly that, and others are surprised by it, so decide which meaning you are actually asking for. The character itself is well balanced and tattoos cleanly at eight strokes. Check your version by drawing it on our board, and see the kanji tattoo guide for how single-character tattoos read in context.
Words with 侍
- 侍warrior (esp. of military retainers of daimyos in the Edo period), samurai
- 侍従chamberlain
- 侍医court physician
- 侍女lady attendant, female servant, lady's maid
Keep exploring
Practice writing 侍 stroke by stroke, with spaced repetition and quizzes, in the app.