The term Yamato-e has been generally written as '大和絵' in kanji (Chinese characters) since recent times, but it had been also written as '倭絵' or '和絵' before recent times, and in some cases the word '日本画' was also read as 'Yamato-e.'
近代以降は「大和絵」の表記が一般的となっているが、近世以前には「倭絵」「和絵」などとも表記され、「日本画」と書いて「やまとえ」と読むこともあった。