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Kanji for Eternal

The kanji most commonly used for "Eternal" are 永、悠、久.

永

Kanji that mean Eternal

  • 永

    eternal, long

    Also associated with perpetual.

    Onyomi: ei Kunyomi: naga.i 5 strokes Jōyō

  • 悠

    distant, leisurely, eternal

    Onyomi: yuu 11 strokes Jōyō

  • 久

    long time, old

    Also associated with lasting.

    Onyomi: ku, kyuu Kunyomi: hisa.shii 3 strokes Jōyō

  • 常

    always, ordinary, eternal

    Onyomi: joh Kunyomi: toko, tsune 11 strokes Jōyō

永 (ei) is the eternal of flowing time. The character is a picture of a long river with its tributaries, and “long as a river” became “forever”: 永遠 (eternity), 永久 (permanence), 永住 (settling for good). Calligraphers prize it for another reason — the Eight Principles of 永 contain every basic brushstroke, so it is the first character a student of calligraphy masters.

悠 (yū) is eternity with ease in it: distant, unhurried, vast — 悠久 is remote ages of time, 悠々 is to move through life serenely. It is a favourite in given names (Yū, Haruka, Yūto) precisely for that calm.

久 (kyū / hisa) is simple long duration — 久しぶり, “it’s been a while” — and a classic name element (Hisashi). 常 (jō) is the eternal of constancy: 常に, always; 無常, the Buddhist impermanence that is its own negation.

Kanji associated with Eternal

These carry eternal as a connotation rather than as their core meaning.

  • 恆

    constant

  • 恒

    constant, always

Words using Eternal kanji

Everyday Japanese vocabulary built from the characters above.

  • 永住 えいじゅう Listen permanent residence
  • 悠々 ゆうゆう Listen quiet; calm; leisurely
  • 久しぶり ひさしぶり Listen a long time (since the last time); first in a long time; it's been a long time
  • 常務 じょうむ Listen managing director; executive director; routine business
  • 永遠 えいえん Listen eternity; perpetuity; permanence
  • 久々 ひさびさ Listen (in a) long time; long time (ago); while (ago)
  • 正常 せいじょう Listen normal; regular
  • 永久 えいきゅう Listen eternity; permanence; perpetuity
  • 通常 つうじょう Listen usual; ordinary; normal

Before you use Eternal kanji

永 is the standard choice and reads exactly as intended — "eternal" — with the bonus that calligraphers revere the character itself. 永遠 makes it a full word. 悠 reads as serene vastness, lovely for a name or a mood. Take care with 常: alone it means "usual/ordinary" as readily as "constant".

Other meanings to explore

See all kanji by meaning →

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