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KA
蝦
Naruto · Shinobi · Kanji file 052
Gama — Toad 蝦蟇
Pronounced ga·ma
蝦蟇 is read gama — the toad. In the Edo-period tale Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari, Jiraiya — the model for Naruto's Jiraiya — wields toad arts, while Orochimaru commands the serpent and Tsunade the slug. In Naruto, Jiraiya summons toads, and the character 忠 on the toad's necklace means loyalty. And here's a fun one: Gamabunta, the giant toad summoned by Naruto, talks in Hiroshima dialect — one of the rougher-sounding varieties of Japanese — and his name is thought to come from Sugawara Bunta, a star of Japan's classic yakuza films. A playful, brilliant piece of naming. As for the standoff: snake beats frog, frog beats slug, slug beats snake.
From Edo-period fictionGenius naming
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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.
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BA
蟇
toad
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 蝦蟇?
31 in total: 蝦 is 15, 蟇 is 16.
How do you pronounce Gama?
Say it ga·ma (蝦蟇). 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 Gama — Toad?
蝦蟇 — 蝦, then 蟇. Core meanings from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database: 蝦 shrimp · prawn; 蟇 toad.
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.