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BŌ
蟒
Naruto · Shinobi · Kanji file 054
Uwabami — Great Serpent 蟒蛇
Pronounced u·wa·ba·mi
蟒蛇 is read uwabami — a giant serpent. It isn't the name of a Naruto character, but it's a keyword you need to understand the three-way standoff, so here it is. In the Edo-period tale Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari, the three models for the Legendary Sannin — Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru — wield the arts of the serpent (蟒蛇), the toad (蝦蟇) and the slug (蛞蝓). In Naruto, the scene where Manda (the serpent), Gama (the toad) and Katsuyu (the slug) are summoned at once and glare at each other is one of the manga's most iconic. And the standoff itself: the snake beats the frog, the frog beats the slug, and the slug beats the snake — a perfect circle where no one wins.
From Edo-period fictionEven Japanese can't write this
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Breaking down the kanji
Here's what each character means — and how to write it. In Japan, following the correct stroke order is considered the key to writing kanji beautifully. Readings, stroke counts and core meanings below come directly from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database.
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JA
蛇
snake · serpent · hard drinker
What's next
Which term should we write next?
We write in order of demand. Every name and jutsu in the official databooks is listed in our Master Index — find the one you want, and tell us via the Contact page.
Original artwork — free to save
The kanji, on one sheet
A reference card we drew ourselves — the characters in Japanese brush style.
Quick answers
FAQ
How many strokes is 蟒蛇?
26 in total: 蟒 is 15, 蛇 is 11.
How do you pronounce Uwabami?
Say it u·wa·ba·mi (蟒蛇). Japanese has no strong word stress: give each syllable about the same length and weight, and keep the vowels short and clear — a as in “father,” i as in “machine,” u as in “food,” e as in “met,” o as in “go.”
What characters make up Uwabami — Great Serpent?
蟒蛇 — 蟒, then 蛇. Core meanings from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database: 蟒 python · boa constrictor; 蛇 snake · serpent.
Can I use the copied kanji anywhere?
Yes — it's standard Unicode text and works on any modern OS. One caution before you print or ink it: make sure the font is a Japanese one. Some fonts render the same characters in Chinese style, and the difference shows.