爪 — “Claw / Nail / Talon” in Japanese

Master (高手)そう, つめ, つま-

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“Claw / Nail / Talon” in Japanese is 爪, read sou, tsume, tsuma (そう, つめ, つま-). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 爪 (nail).

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What does 爪 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	爪
Meaning	Claw / Nail / Talon
Readings	そう, つめ, つま-
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	爪 (nail)

How to read 爪

爪 is read sou (そう) or tsume (つめ) or tsuma (つま-) depending on the word.

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Kanji read the same way as 爪

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28