Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

縞 (しま, shima) Japanese meaning: stripe | Kotomora

縞しま

し

ま

○

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun, used as a suffix, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

stripe; bar; streak

General term for a stripe or band of color, often used as a suffix (e.g., 横縞, 縦縞) or with の to describe something striped.

彼かれは

青あお

と

白しろ

の

縞しま

の

シャツ

を

着き

て

いる

。

He is wearing a blue and white striped shirt.

この布ぬのには細こまかい縞しまが入はいっている。

This cloth has fine stripes.

2

woven stripe pattern

Specifically refers to a woven pattern of two or more different colors, as opposed to printed or painted stripes. Historically also written as 島 or 嶋.

この着き物ものの縞しまは織おりで表ひょう現げんされている。
The stripes on this kimono are created through weaving.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉に縞しまが入はいるfor stripes to run through/be woven into something
このシャツには黒くろい縞しまが入はいっている。
This shirt has black stripes running through it.
縞しまの〈物もの〉a striped item (e.g. clothing, fabric)
彼かれは縞しまのシャツを着きていた。
He was wearing a striped shirt.

Kanji

縞stripe

Related words

ストライプN3sense 1
ストライプ is a loanword typically used for modern, Western-style stripe patterns in fashion, while 縞 is the native Japanese term covering both traditional woven and general stripe patterns.
縞しま模も様ようN3
縞 can mean a single stripe or the stripe pattern itself, while 縞模様 always refers to the overall striped pattern as a design.

Opposites

無む地じN3sense 1
無地 means a plain, solid-color surface with no pattern, the direct opposite of 縞's striped pattern.

Don't confuse with

島しまN4sense 1
島 (island) is a homophone of 縞 (stripe) and was even historically used to write 縞, but the two are unrelated in meaning today.
縦たて縞じまN3
縞 is the general word for a striped pattern with no fixed direction, whereas 縦縞 specifically means the stripes run vertically.
格こう子しN1
縞 means a stripe pattern, while 格子 (short for 格子縞) means a check/plaid pattern, so learners should not mix up which fabric design each refers to.

Counted with

本ほんN5
Used for long, narrow stripe-like patterns only in some contexts; not a general counter for the word.

Word family· 43

シマウマ
zebra
縦たて縞じまN3
vertical stripes; striped fabric
横よこ縞じまN3
horizontal stripes; lateral stripes
縞しま模も様ようN3
striped pattern; stripes

Written forms

縞しまUsage53%
Standard kanji spelling for stripes and stripe patterns.
しまUsage43%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
シマUsage4%

Etymology

The historical derivation is uncertain; the kanji 縞 is conventionally associated with stripes and woven patterns.

棒ぼう縞じま

stripes

Show 8 more

細ほそ縞じま
pinstriped
しましま
striped; stripes
シマハギ
convict surgeonfish; convict tang; manini
シマアジ
garganey
縞しま柄がら
striped pattern
縞しま物もの
striped cloth; striped fabric
シマヘビ
Japanese striped snake; Japanese four-lined ratsnake
シマバエ
lauxaniid fly · flesh fly

See all 43 in Explore →