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3. Inspire with redoubled courage
7. Courage To Do What Is Right
11. No Fear
13. Bushido / The Way of the Samurai
14. Immovable Mind
15. Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity
16. England
Single Character for Courage
勇 can be translated as bravery, courage, valor, or fearless in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
勇 is the simplest form to express courage or bravery, as there is also a two-character form that starts with this same character.
勇 can also be translated as brave, daring, fearless, plucky, or heroic.
This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here
Courageous Energy
勇氣 is one of several ways to express bravery and courage in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
This version is the most spiritual. This is the essence of bravery from deep within your being. This is the mental state of being brave versus actual brave behavior. You'd more likely use this to say, “He is very courageous,” rather than “He fought courageously in the battle.”
The first character also means bravery or courage when it's seen alone. With the second character added, an element of energy or spirit is added. The second character is the same “chi” or “qi” energy that Kung Fu masters focus on when they strike. For this reason, you could say this means “spirit of courage” or “brave spirit.”
This is certainly a stronger word than just the first character alone.
Beyond bravery or courage, dictionaries also translate this word as valor/valour, nerve, audacity, daring, pluck, plucky, gallantry, guts, gutsy, and boldness.
This is also one of the 8 key concepts of tang soo do.
While the version shown to the left is commonly used in Chinese and Korean Hanja (and ancient Japanese Kanji), please note that the second character is written with slightly fewer strokes in modern Japanese. If you want the modern Japanese version, please click on the character to the right. Both styles would be understood by native Chinese, Japanese, and many (but not all) Korean people. You should make your selection based on the intended audience for your calligraphy artwork. Or pick the single-character form of bravery/courage which is universal.
Courage in the face of Fear
勇敢 is about courage or bravery in the face of fear.
You do the right thing even when it is hard or scary. When you are courageous, you don't give up. You try new things. You admit mistakes. This kind of courage is the willingness to take action in the face of danger and peril.
勇敢 can also be translated as braveness, valor, heroic, fearless, boldness, prowess, gallantry, audacity, daring, dauntless, and/or courage in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. This version of bravery/courage can be an adjective or a noun. The first character means bravery and courage by itself. The second character means “daring” by itself. The second character emphasizes the meaning of the first but adds the idea that you are not afraid of taking a dare, and you are not afraid of danger.
勇敢 is more about brave behavior and not so much the mental state of being brave. You'd more likely use this to say, “He fought courageously in the battle,” rather than “He is very courageous.”
義を見てせざるは勇なきなり is a Japanese proverb that means “Knowing what is right and not doing is a want of courage.”
I've also seen it translated as:
To see what is right, yet fail to do so, is a lack of courage.
To know righteousness, but take no action is cowardice.
You are a coward if you knew what was the right thing to do, but you did not take action.
Knowing what is right without practicing it betrays one's cowardice.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
This is a Japanese version of the serenity prayer, as used by many 12-step programs and support groups.
In Japanese, this says:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
破浪 can be translated from Chinese as “braving the waves” or “bravely setting sail.”
It literally means: “break/cleave/cut [the] waves.”
破浪 is a great title to encourage yourself or someone else not to be afraid of problems or troubles.
Because of the context, this is especially good for sailors or yachtsmen and surfers too.
Note: While this can be understood in Japanese, it's not commonly used in Japan. Therefore, please consider this to be primarily a Chinese proverb.
恐れず is probably the best way to express “No Fear” in Japanese.
The first Kanji and the following Hiragana character create a word that means: to fear, to be afraid of, frightened, or terrified.
The last Hiragana character serves to modify and negate the first word (put it in negative form). Basically, they carry a meaning like “without” or “keeping away.” 恐れず is almost like the English modifier “-less.”
Altogether, you get something like “Without Fear” or “Fearless.”
Here's an example of using this in a sentence: 彼女かのじょは思い切ったことを恐れずにやる。
Translation: She is not scared of taking big risks.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
(2 characters)
無畏 literally means “No Fear.” But perhaps not the most natural Chinese phrase (see our other “No Fear” phrase for a complete thought). However, this two-character version of “No Fear” seems to be a very popular way to translate this into Chinese when we checked Chinese Google.
Note: This also means “No Fear” in Japanese and Korean, but this character pair is not often used in Japan or Korea.
This term appears in various Chinese dictionaries with definitions like “without fear,” intrepidity, fearless, dauntless, and bold.
In the Buddhist context, this is a word derived from the word Abhaya, meaning: Fearless, dauntless, secure, nothing, and nobody to fear. Also, from vīra meaning: courageous, bold.
See Also: Never Give Up | No Worries | Undaunted | Bravery | Courage | Fear No Man
正義 means justice or righteousness in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
Practicing justice and righteousness is being fair.
It solves problems, so everyone wins. You don't prejudge. You see people as individuals. You don't accept it when someone acts like a bully, cheats, or lies. Being a champion for justice takes courage. Sometimes when you stand for justice, you stand alone.
Note: This is also considered to be one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
武士道 is the title for “The Code of the Samurai.”
Sometimes called “The Seven Virtues of the Samurai,” “The Bushido Code,” or “The Samurai Code of Chivalry.”
This would be read in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja as “The Way of the Warrior,” “The Warrior's Way,” or “The Warrior's Code.”
It's a set of virtues that the Samurai of Japan and ancient warriors of China and Korea had to live and die by. However, while known throughout Asia, this title is mostly used in Japan and thought of as being of Japanese origin.
The seven commonly-accepted tenets or virtues of Bushido are Rectitude 義, Courage 勇, Benevolence 仁, Respect 礼(禮), Honour 名誉, Honesty 誠, and Loyalty 忠実. These tenets were part of oral history for generations, thus, you will see variations in the list of Bushido tenets depending on who you talk to.
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here
fudoshin
不動心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo) and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet.
Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: An unshakable mind and an immovable spirit is the state of fudoshin. It is courage and stability displayed both mentally and physically. Rather than indicating rigidity and inflexibility, fudoshin describes a condition that is not easily upset by internal thoughts or external forces. It is capable of receiving a strong attack while retaining composure and balance. It receives and yields lightly, grounds to the earth, and reflects aggression back to the source.
Other translations of this title include imperturbability, steadfastness, keeping a cool head in an emergency, or keeping one's calm (during a fight).
The first two Kanji alone mean immobility, firmness, fixed, steadfastness, motionless, and idle.
The last Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.
Together, these three Kanji create a title defined as “immovable mind” within the context of Japanese martial arts. However, in Chinese, it would mean “motionless heart,” and in Korean Hanja, “wafting heart” or “floating heart.”
布施 is the Buddhist practice of giving known as Dāna or दान from Pali and Sanskrit.
Depending on the context, this can be alms-giving, acts of charity, or offerings (usually money) to a priest for reading sutras or teachings.
Some will put Dāna in these two categories:
1. The pure or unsullied charity, which looks for no reward here but only in the hereafter.
2. The sullied almsgiving whose object is personal benefit.
The first kind is, of course, the kind that a liberated or enlightened person will pursue.
Others will put Dāna in these categories:
1. Worldly or material gifts.
2. Unworldly or spiritual gifts.
You can also separate Dāna into these three kinds:
1. 財布施 Goods such as money, food, or material items.
2. 法布施 Dharma, as an act to teach or bestow the Buddhist doctrine onto others.
3. 無畏布施 Courage, as an act of facing fear to save someone or when standing up for someone or standing up for righteousness.
The philosophies and categorization of Dāna will vary among various monks, temples, and sects of Buddhism.
Breaking down the characters separately:
布 (sometimes written 佈) means to spread out or announce, but also means cloth. In ancient times, cloth or robs were given to the Buddhist monks annually as a gift of alms - I need to do more research, but I believe there is a relationship here.
施 means to grant, to give, to bestow, to act, to carry out, and by itself can mean Dāna as a single character.
Dāna can also be expressed as 檀那 (pronounced “tán nà” in Mandarin and dan-na or だんな in Japanese). 檀那 is a transliteration of Dāna. However, it has colloquially come to mean some unsavory or unrelated things in Japanese. So, I think 布施 is better for calligraphy on your wall to remind you to practice Dāna daily (or whenever possible).
Can mean: Courage / Bravery
In Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean, 英 can often be confused or read as a short name for England (this character is the first syllable of the word for England, the English language, the British Pound, and other titles from the British Isles).
In some contexts, this can mean “outstanding” or even “flower.” But it will most often read as having something to do with the United Kingdom.
This is not the most common way to say hero, courage or bravery but you may see it used sometimes.
I strongly recommend that you choose another form of courage/bravery.
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Bravery Courage | 勇 | isamu / yu- | yǒng / yong3 / yong | yung |
Bravery Courage | 勇氣 勇气 / 勇気 | yuuki / yuki | yǒng qì / yong3 qi4 / yong qi / yongqi | yung ch`i / yungchi / yung chi |
Courage and Strength | 勇力 | yuu ri / yuuri / yu ri | yǒng lì / yong3 li4 / yong li / yongli | yung li / yungli |
Inspire with redoubled courage | 勇気百倍 | yuuki hyaku bai yuukihyakubai yuki hyaku bai | ||
Bravery Courage | 勇敢 | yuu kan / yuukan / yu kan | yǒng gǎn / yong3 gan3 / yong gan / yonggan | yung kan / yungkan |
Strength and Courage | 力と勇氣 力と勇気 | riki to yu ki rikitoyuki | ||
Honor Courage Commitment | 名譽, 勇気, 決意 名誉, 勇気, 決意 | meiyo yuuki ketsui meiyoyuukiketsui meiyo yuki ketsui | ||
Courage To Do What Is Right | 義を見てせざるは勇なきなり | giomitesezaruhayuunakinari giomitesezaruhayunakinari | ||
Serenity Prayer | 神様は私に変える事の出来ない物を受け入れる穏やかさと変える事の出来る勇気とその違いを知る賢明さを与える | kamisama ha watashi ni kaeru koto no deki nai mono o ukeireru odayaka sa to kaeru koto no dekiru yuuki to sono chigai o shiru kenmei sa o ataeru kamisama ha watashi ni kaeru koto no deki nai mono o ukeireru odayaka sa to kaeru koto no dekiru yuki to sono chigai o shiru kenmei sa o ataeru | ||
Brave the Waves | 破浪 | ha rou / harou / ha ro | pò làng / po4 lang4 / po lang / polang | p`o lang / polang / po lang |
Fortune favors the brave | 勇者は幸運に恵まれる | yuusha ha kouun ni megumareru yusha ha koun ni megumareru | ||
No Fear | 恐れず | oso re zu / osorezu | ||
No Fear | 無畏 无畏 | mui | wú wèi / wu2 wei4 / wu wei / wuwei | |
Justice Righteousness | 正義 正义 | sei gi / seigi | zhèng yì / zheng4 yi4 / zheng yi / zhengyi | cheng i / chengi |
Bushido The Way of the Samurai | 武士道 | bu shi do / bushido | wǔ shì dào wu3 shi4 dao4 wu shi dao wushidao | wu shih tao wushihtao |
Immovable Mind | 不動心 | fu dou shin fudoushin fu do shin | ||
Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity | 布施 | fuse | bù shī / bu4 shi1 / bu shi / bushi | pu shih / pushih |
England | 英 | ei | yīng / ying1 / ying | |
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. |
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When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my art mounting workshop in Beijing where a wall scroll is made by hand from a combination of silk, rice paper, and wood.
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Professional calligraphers are getting to be hard to find these days.
Instead of drawing characters by hand, the new generation in China merely type roman letters into their computer keyboards and pick the character that they want from a list that pops up.
There is some fear that true Chinese calligraphy may become a lost art in the coming years. Many art institutes in China are now promoting calligraphy programs in hopes of keeping this unique form
of art alive.
Even with the teachings of a top-ranked calligrapher in China, my calligraphy will never be good enough to sell. I will leave that to the experts.
The same calligrapher who gave me those lessons also attracted a crowd of thousands and a TV crew as he created characters over 6-feet high. He happens to be ranked as one of the top 100 calligraphers in all of China. He is also one of very few that would actually attempt such a feat.
Check out my lists of Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls and Old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.
Some people may refer to this entry as Courage Japanese Kanji, Courage Japanese Characters, Courage Japanese in Mandarin Chinese, Courage Japanese Characters, Courage Japanese in Chinese Writing, Courage Japanese in Japanese Writing, Courage Japanese in Asian Writing, Courage Japanese Ideograms, Chinese Courage Japanese symbols, Courage Japanese Hieroglyphics, Courage Japanese Glyphs, Courage Japanese in Chinese Letters, Courage Japanese Hanzi, Courage Japanese in Japanese Kanji, Courage Japanese Pictograms, Courage Japanese in the Chinese Written-Language, or Courage Japanese in the Japanese Written-Language.