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GYŌ
暁
daybreak · dawn · in the event
✎ Editor's glossthe hour before dawn
Naruto · Shinobi · Kanji file 050
Akatsuki 暁
Pronounced a·ka·tsu·ki
Akatsuki (暁) means the hour before dawn — the moment when darkness still lingers in the sky. It's a word Japanese students meet in classical-literature class: old, beautiful vocabulary, and to a Japanese ear it simply sounds cool. In Naruto, it is the name of the mysterious organization — nine shinobi in black robes marked with red clouds, every one of them an S-rank criminal; even Orochimaru once belonged. According to Sha no Sho, "world conquest" is only a front: their true aim is to put an end to a worthless world full of war. Among Japanese fans, they hold a reputation as the coolest villain organization in the history of Japanese fiction — in look and in creed alike.
Genius namingA single, decisive kanji
📖 Databook: Tō no Sho, p. 304 · Sha no Sho, p. 196
Speed
Breaking down the kanji
Here's what each character means — and how to write it. In Japan, following the correct stroke order is considered the key to writing kanji beautifully. Readings, stroke counts and core meanings below come directly from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database.
What's next
Which term should we write next?
We write in order of demand. Every name and jutsu in the official databooks is listed in our Master Index — find the one you want, and tell us via the Contact page.
Original artwork — free to save
The kanji, on one sheet
A reference card we drew ourselves — the characters in Japanese brush style.
Quick answers
FAQ
How many strokes is 暁?
12 in total: 暁 is 12.
How do you pronounce Akatsuki?
Say it a·ka·tsu·ki (暁). Japanese has no strong word stress: give each syllable about the same length and weight, and keep the vowels short and clear — a as in “father,” i as in “machine,” u as in “food,” e as in “met,” o as in “go.”
What characters make up Akatsuki?
暁 — 暁. Core meanings from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database: 暁 daybreak · dawn.
Can I use the copied kanji anywhere?
Yes — it's standard Unicode text and works on any modern OS. One caution before you print or ink it: make sure the font is a Japanese one. Some fonts render the same characters in Chinese style, and the difference shows.