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Shiba 柴 – Japanese surname
Shiba (柴) is read しば and has 2 syllables. It is a family name. Written as 柴, the characters mean: brush. This reading can be written with at least 18 different kanji combinations (the 6 most common are shown below), with 6 to 27 strokes in total.
About the name Shiba
Shiba (柴 or 芝) means brushwood or lawn. The Shiba clan was a major family in the Muromachi period.
How to write Shiba in Japanese
| Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 柴 | しば | brush | 10 |
| 芝 | しば | turf | 6 |
| 志場 | しば | intention + location | 19 |
| 標葉 | しば | signpost + leaf | 27 |
| 志葉 | しば | intention + leaf | 19 |
| 司馬 | しば | director + horse | 15 |
Meanings are literal translations of each kanji. Names are often chosen for sound, so the intended meaning can differ.
The kanji in Shiba
Shiba in different scripts
| Romaji | Shiba |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | しば |
| Katakana | シバ |
| Kanji (most common) | 柴 |
Full name examples
- Ayumi Shiba (Japanese order: 柴歩美, しば あゆみ)
- Yurina Shiba (Japanese order: 柴百合奈, しば ゆりな)
- Yuki Shiba (Japanese order: 柴結城, しば ゆうき)
How to pronounce Shiba
Break it into 2 parts: shi · ba. Japanese has no stressed syllables like English, so say each part with the same length and the same weight. The 2 sound units are written しば.
Questions about Shiba
What does Shiba mean in Japanese?
Shiba has no single fixed meaning: it depends on the kanji. The most common spelling, 柴, combines these meanings: brush. Other spellings include 芝 (turf), 志場 (intention + location), 標葉 (signpost + leaf).
How do you write Shiba in kanji?
The most common way is 柴 (しば). It can also be written 芝, 志場, 標葉, 志葉, 司馬.
How do you write Shiba in katakana?
Shiba is シバ in katakana and しば in hiragana.
How do you pronounce Shiba?
Shiba is read しば and has 2 syllables (morae).
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Name data: JMnedict and KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Filtered, regrouped and annotated by NihonNames.