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How to say 'Bullet' in Japanese | 弾

Wondering how to say 'Bullet' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Bullet is 'Tama', written as 弾 in Japanese.'Bullet' in hiragana is たま.

    word

    Meaning

    Bullet

    Reading

    たま

    tama

    Kanji

    Bullet, Projectile

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '弾 (たま)' primarily means 'bullet'. It refers to the projectile fired from a gun. This word is commonly used in contexts related to firearms, shooting, or ammunition. For example: The bullet hit the target「弾が的に当たった」(たまがまとにあたった). He loaded the gun with bullets「彼は銃に弾を込めた」(かれはじゅうにたまをこめた). While '弾' can also mean 'ball' in some contexts (e.g., 玉/たま), this meaning is less common and typically written with a different kanji (玉). The focus here is on the 'bullet' meaning, as it is the primary and most distinct usage of '弾 (たま)'.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N1

    Kanji Grade

    7

    Frequency

    5000

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Bullet, Projectile

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 3 Words contain the Kanji 弾 as well.

  • word

    弾く

    Meaning

    Pluck, Repel

  • word

    爆弾

    Meaning

    Bomb

  • word

    弾む

    Meaning

    Bounce, Be lively

Learn the Word

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What does 'Tama' (弾) mean?

'Tama' means 'Bullet' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.