舞 — “Dance / Flit / Circle / Wheel” in Japanese

Master (高手)ぶ, ま, -ま, まい

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“Dance / Flit / Circle / Wheel” in Japanese is 舞, read bu, ma, mai (ぶ, ま, -ま, まい). 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 舞台 (stage).

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What does 舞 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	舞
Meaning	Dance / Flit / Circle / Wheel
Readings	ぶ, ま, -ま, まい
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	舞台 (stage)

How to read 舞

舞 is read bu (ぶ) or ma (ま) or ma (-ま) or mai (まい) depending on the word.

Words with 舞

舞台
歌舞伎

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Kanji read the same way as 舞

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

Updated: 2026-08-28