Save Gender Masculine Usage Japanese Scripts 健之介, 健之祐, 兼之介, 兼之輔, 堅之介, 堅之佑, 建之甫, etc.(Japanese Kanji) Pronounced Pron. KEN-NO-SKE [key] Meaning & History From Japanese 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong", 之 (no), a possessive marker, combined with 介 (suke) meaning "forerunner, herald". Other kanji combinations are also possible.