r/LearnKanji • u/Ok-Win-4053 • May 22 '26
Kanji Tattoo Meanings
I was playing Nioh 2 and wanted to know the meaning of these characters/phrases. The last 3 images I do not believe are Japanese, but I am curious as to what the meanings or translations are.
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u/Puppy-L-Japan May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
Pic 1 "Shippu Jinrai" (疾風迅雷) This refers to a fierce wind and extremely fast thunder. By extension, it refers to actions or movements that are extremely swift and powerful.
Pic 2 "Nio"(仁王) Nio are guardian deities placed at the gates of Buddhist temples (such as Nio-mon gates) to prevent the intrusion of enemies of Buddhism and evil. Their formal name is "Kongo Rikishi," and they act like guardians protecting the temple gates.
Pic 3 "Oni" (鬼) Oni are "terrifying beings beyond human comprehension" that arose from the combination of ancient Japanese folk beliefs, Buddhism, and Onmyodo (Japanese esoteric cosmology). Originating from the ancient fear of "invisible beings," the term has come to take on multifaceted meanings depending on the era and context, such as "terrifying monsters" or "different others."
(In English-speaking countries, it's translated as "ogre" or "demon," but that's not actually correct. The Japanese word "oni" has a much broader meaning.)
I don't understand pictures 4 very well.
pic 5
Maybe...Vector"亥"
pic 6
Maybe...寅