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GETSU
月
month · moon
✎ Editor's glossthe moon
Naruto · Jutsu · Kanji file 009
Tsukuyomi 月読
Pronounced tsu·ku·yo·mi
Tsukuyomi is one of the Three Precious Children, standing alongside Amaterasu and Susanoo. When Izanagi purified himself, Amaterasu was born from his left eye, Tsukuyomi from his right, and Susanoo from his nose. It is the name of the god who rules the night and the moon. Take the moon — that most mysterious of objects — and join it to the character for "reading": for a jutsu that unfolds inside the mind, the name could not fit better. In Japan, the tales of Amaterasu and Susanoo are famous, while Tsukuyomi has almost no defining story of his own. That, to us, gives this name a special kind of romance.
⛩ From Japanese mythology
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. The red ✎ line is the editor's gloss — the meaning that is actually alive in this name, chosen by our editors from a Japanese kanji dictionary.
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DOKU
読
read
✎ Editor's glossto read — to see what lies ahead
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 do you write Tsukuyomi in kanji?
月読 — 月 (moon) + 読 (to read): the name of the moon god born when Izanagi purified himself. Two kanji, read tsu·ku·yo·mi.
How do you pronounce Tsukuyomi?
Say it tsu·ku·yo·mi (月読). 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.”
How many strokes is 月読?
18 in total: 月 is 4, 読 is 14.
What characters make up Tsukuyomi?
月読 — 月, then 読. Core meanings from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database: 月 month · moon; 読 read.
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.