For My Sweetness in Chinese / Japanese...

煢煢孑立形影相吊 is a Chinese proverb about the state of being as alone as you possibly can be.

It can be translated as “Alone with only your shadow for comfort/company.”

See Also:  I Miss You

你一直在我心中 means “You are always in my heart” in Chinese.

你 = You
一直 = Always
在 = In/At
我 = Me/My
心中 = Heart/Mind

The idea or definition of heart and mind kind of overlap in ancient Chinese, so this can also mean “You are always in my mind.”

所有的成功都無法補償家庭的失敗 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated into English as “No success can compensate for failure in the home.”

Also, the word “home” can be exchanged with “family.”

我的命運我掌握 is a way to write “I control my own destiny” in Chinese.

The direct translation is more like, “My destiny, I'm in control.” The meaning is the same, but Chinese grammar and word order vary a bit from English.

There's a few other variations, and if you want any of these, just email me:
我的命运我做主 (wo3 de ming4 yun4 wo3 zuo4 zhu3) "my destiny, I'm in charge"
我的未来我掌握 (wo3 de wei4 lai2 wo3 zhang3 wo4) "my future, I'm in control"
我的未来我做主 (wo3 de wei4 lai2 wo3 zuo4 zhu3) "My future, I'm in charge"

This phrase means “Old and ailing with little time left” or “Not long for this world.”
There is a real suggestion here that someone will die soon.

This was added by a special request of a customer and is perhaps, not the most positive phrase that you could put on a wall scroll.

This would be the most offensive possible gift to give to an older person - please do not do that!

我命由我不由天 is often translated as “The one that shapes my destiny will always be myself rather than the God” or “Rather than Heaven, I am the master of my fate.”

Breaking down the words directly:
我命 = My fate/destiny
由我 = depends (on) me
不 = not
由天 dependant (on) Heaven.

See Also:  Choose Your Own Destiny

食べ飲み楽しめ明日は皆死ぬ means “eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” in Japanese.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

萬事皆因果 means “Everything happens for a reason” in Chinese.

The first two characters mean “all things” or “everything.”

The middle character kind of means “in all cases.”

The last two characters create a complex word that can be defined in many ways, such as “karma,” “cause and effect,” “fate,” and “every cause has its effect, as every effect arises from a cause.”

Keep in mind that Chinese grammar is a bit different than English, so trust me that this makes a natural-sounding proverb in Chinese.

物事は全て理由があって起きる means everything happens for a reason.

However, this is a work in progress. We're still trying to decide the best way to express this in Japanese. If you order this, we might have a discussion about the best version that fits you. Here's how the characters break down by meaning (keep in mind, Japanese grammar and sentence construction is very different from English, so it doesn't make complete sense in English)...

物事 = things, everything
は particle
全て all, the whole, entirely
理由 reason
が particle
あっ be, exist, have, take place, happens
て particle
起きる to occur, to happen; to take place (usually unfavorable incidents)

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

以眼還眼 is the same proverb that seems to be used in virtually every language and culture worldwide.

Whether you are Arab, Persian, Jewish, European, British, Asian, or American, this proverb is well known as the “original form of justice.”

Here's the full proverb, 以牙还牙以眼还眼, with the first and second parts.

However, in Chinese, it's more natural to put the “tooth” part first, so this more accurately reads “Tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye.”

If revenge is important to you, I suppose this is the phase you want on your wall.

爭 is the way to express the idea of fighting for a goal.

This can also mean struggling or arguing. 爭 is okay for a Chinese audience, and while it is a word in Korean, this character is seldom seen alone in Korean grammar.

上帝的鬥士 means “God's Fighter.”

While a lot of people search for “Warrior of God,” or “Soldier of God,” this is actually the most natural way to say something like this in Chinese.

永远在我心中 means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Chinese.

永駐我心 is one of a few ways to write “always in my heart” or “forever in my heart” in Chinese.

The first character means eternal, forever, or always.

The second character means resides, in, or stationed (in the case of troops).

The third character means me, my, or mine.

The last character means heart (but can also mean mind or soul).

永遠在我心 means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Chinese.

This is the shorter, somewhat lyrical version of this phrase.

永遠 forever/eternal
在 at/in/exists
我 me/myself/my
心 heart/mind/soul

いつまでも私の心の中に means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Japanese.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

永遠に私の心の中に means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Japanese.

The character breakdown:
永遠 (eien) eternity; perpetuity; immortality; permanence.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing.
私の (watashi no) my; mine.
心の中 (kokoro no naka) the middle of one's mind; the midst of one's heart.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing (makes this “in” the middle of one's heart).

Note: There’s more than one way to say "Forever in My Heart" in Japanese, so you’ll find another version in our database. This is the very verbose version.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

原諒我的罪孽 is a religious phrase, which means exactly what the title suggests.

See Also:  Christian

私の手を与える means “I give you my hand,” in Japanese.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

上帝是我的法官 is not a traditional Chinese phrase.

We professionally translated it for a customer's request (in proper Chinese grammar).

See Also:  God | Justice

四海為家 literally reads, “Four Seas Serve-As [my/one's] Home.”

Together, 四海 which literally means “four seas” is understood to mean “the whole world” or “the seven seas.” It's presumed to be an ancient word from back when only four seas were known - so it equates to the modern English term, “seven seas.”

This can be translated or understood in a few different ways:
To regard the four corners of the world all as home.
To feel at home anywhere.
To roam about unconstrained.
To consider the entire country, or the world, to be one's own.

祖先崇拜 means “Appreciation and honor of your ancestors.”

This can refer to anyone from your grandparents and beyond.

The first two characters mean ancestors or forefathers.

The last two characters mean worship, adore/adoration, or admiration.

This is the kind of wall scroll that a filial son or daughter in China or Japan would hang to honor their ancestors who paved the way for the new generation.

Japanese use a slight variation on the last Kanji. If you want this specifically Japanese version, just click on the Kanji image to the right (instead of the button above). Note that Japanese people would easily be able to identify the original Chinese form of that Kanji anyway.

They also have a similar phrase in old Korean but the first two characters are reversed - just let me know if you want that version when you place your order.

In Chinese and Korean, 博愛 means a universal fraternity, brotherhood, or universal love.

In Japanese, this means charity, benevolence, philanthropy, or love for humanity.

Please note these subtle differences and take that into account depending on your intended audience (Chinese, Korean or Japanese).

See Also:  Benevolence | Altruism

不會撐船賴河灣 literally translates as: [One who] cannot steer the boat blames the bends in the river.

Figuratively, this means: One who is incompetent always tries to shift the blame elsewhere.
This is similar to the English idiom, “a poor workman/craftsman blames his tools.”

我行我素 is a way to say, “I walk my own path,” or “to continue in one's own way,” in Chinese.

This does not always have a completely positive connotation. It can mean ignoring advice or to persist in your path, no matter what others say or think.

耶稣基督是我救主 is a Chinese phrase that reads “Jesus Christ is my savior.”

イエスキリストは私の救い主です is a Japanese phrase that means “Jesus Christ is my savior.”

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana and Katakana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

耶穌是我救主 is a Chinese phrase that reads, “Jesus is my savior.”

イエスは私の救い主です is a Japanese phrase that means “Jesus is my savior.”

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana and Katakana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

耶穌是我的生命 means Jesus is my life in Chinese.

The first two characters are a transliteration of the name Jesus into Mandarin Chinese.
The third character means, is.

The fourth and fifth mean my or mine.

The last two characters mean life, as in lifespan, or from birth to death.

This is not a common phrase for Chinese Christians, but this is the best way to translate this idea from English to Mandarin Chinese.

活在今天 is not an eastern concept, so it does not translate into a phrase that seems natural on a wall scroll.

However, if this is your philosophy, the characters shown here do capture your idea of living for today or living in the moment. 活在今天 says “Live in today,” and they are grammatically correct in Chinese.

Note: This kind of makes sense in Korean Hanja but the grammar is Chinese, so it’s not that natural in Korean.

今を生きる is a Japanese phrase that can be translated as “live for the day,” “live for the moment,” “seize the day,” or “make the most of the present.”

You can think of this as the Japanese version of “Carpe Diem.”

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

人生謳歌 means “live for what you love” in Japanese.

The first two characters mean “human life” or simply “living.” The last two characters mean “merit,” “prosperity,” or “what you enjoy.” This phrase can suggest working or staying busy for your own goals (in your career).

See Also:  Prosperity

思戀 is a term used for when you miss a lover.

It suggests that you are separated (not by choice) and have longed for each other. It's a strong feeling of missing your lover.

耶和華是我的牧者 is the first line from Psalms 23 straight out of the Chinese Union Bible.

This reads, “The LORD is my shepherd,” or “Jehovah is my shepherd.”

The character breakdown:
耶和華 = Jehovah (most English Bibles translate as LORD or God). This Chinese title is meant to sound a bit like the original Hebrew YHWH or Yahweh.
是 = is.
我的 = my.
牧者 = shepherd.

Nothing could be more true. When I was in the Marine Corps, we trained for years for combat that often lasts only hours.

養兵千日用兵一時 is a Chinese proverb that, also reminds me of a common phrase used in the military to describe combat: “Weeks of total boredom, punctuated with five minutes of sheer terror.”

This may have some roots in Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Though I can not find this passage in his writings.

On the subject of the Art of War, if you have a favorite passage, we can create a custom calligraphy scroll with that phrase.

人為財死鳥為食亡 is a Chinese proverb that literally states that human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food.

Figuratively it means that man will do anything in his means to become rich. Personally, I think dying for food is a more noble cause.

Often translated as “Men die in pursuit of wealth, birds die in pursuit of food. The 人 in this proverb just means human, so “men” is a placeholder for human with that translation - an English language problem that we have no easy gender-neutral nouns.

This proverb is meant to serve as a warning about the follies of greed.

親思い is “love or affection for one's parents” in Japanese.

我兒 means “my son” in Chinese.

The first character means my, mine, me, or I (it's possessive in this case).

The second character means son (or baby).

Note: 我兒 is a very unusual title for a calligraphy wall scroll.

我心真愛 is a slightly poetic way to express this sentiment to someone.

The meaning is “My True Love,” but the characters directly translate as “I/Me/My Heart/Mind True/Real Love.”

Note that Chinese grammar and construction are different, so this sounds very eloquent and artsy in Chinese.
In Korean Hanja, the third character should be written differently. Just let me know when you place your order if you want that version - it will still make sense in Chinese. This phrase makes sense in Korean but is not commonly used.

真実の愛 means “true love” or “genuine affection” in Japanese.

The first two Kanji mean true, real, genuine, or authentic.
The third Kanji is a connecting possessive article.
The last character is love or affection.

僕のヒーローアカデミア is the title “My Hero Academia” or “Boku no Hīrō Akademia” in Japanese.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Katakana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

我的生命因为有你就完整 means “My life is complete because of you” in Chinese.

我的生活我做主 is a Chinese phrase that can be translated as “My life, my rules,” or “My life, I call the shots.”

The first four characters say, “my life.”

The fifth character is I, me, and/or my.

The last two characters can be interpreted in a variety of ways, just as to make the decision, to take charge of, to call the shot, or to make the rule.

誰言寸草心報得三春暉 is the last line of a famous poem. It is perceived as a tribute or ode to your parents or mother from a child or children that have left home.

The poem was written by Meng Jiao during the Tang Dynasty (about 1200 years ago). The Chinese title is “You Zi Yin” which means “The Traveler's Recite.”

The last line as shown here speaks of the generous and warm spring sunlight which gives the grass far beyond what the little grass can could ever give back (except perhaps by showing its lovely green leaves and flourishing). The metaphor is that the sun is your mother or parents, and you are the grass. Your parents raise you and give you all the love and care you need to prepare you for the world. A debt that you can never repay, nor is repayment expected.

The first part of the poem (not written in the characters to the left) suggests that the thread in a loving mother's hands is the shirt of her traveling offspring. Vigorously sewing while wishing them to come back sooner than they left.
...This part is really hard to translate into English that makes any sense but maybe you get the idea. We are talking about a poem that is so old that many Chinese people would have trouble reading it (as if it was the King James Version of Chinese).

Depending on the context, 熱情 can mean “cordial,” “enthusiastic,” “passionate,” or “passionately.”

This version is sometimes used in Japanese, but the character order is more common in Chinese and Korean Hanja. The meaning in Japanese for this Kanji order is ardor/ardour or zeal but rarely used in modern Japan. I suggest you choose a different version of “passion” if your audience is Japanese.

See Also:  Persistence | Devotion | Tenacity | Commitment | Motivation

情熱 is the Japanese word that means enthusiasm or “passion for a cause.”

In some contexts, this could mean being extremely fond of something or having a fondness for a cause or person.

Can also be translated as passion, zeal, ardor/ardour, or fervor.

Note: This word (or character order) is not natural in Chinese. However, a typical Chinese person can guess this is a Japanese or Korean word and understand the intended meaning. This selection is best if your audience is Japanese or old-school Korean.

See Also:  Persistence | Devotion | Tenacity | Commitment | Motivation

The most literal translation to English of this ancient 前事不忘后事之师 Chinese proverb is:
“Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.”

However, it's been translated several ways:
Don't forget past events, they can guide you in the future.
Benefit from past experience.
Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
Past calamity is my teacher.
A good memory for the past is a teacher for the future.
The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future.
If one remembers the lessons of the past; They will serve as a guide to avoid mistakes in the future.

The origin:
This proverb comes from the 5th century B.C., just before the Warring States Period in the territory now known as China.
The head of the State of Jin, Zhi Bo, seized power in a coup. He did this with help from the armies of the State of Han and Wei. Instead of being grateful for the help from Han and Wei, he treacherously took the land of Han and Wei. Never satisfied, Zhi Bo employed the armies of Han and Wei to attack and seize the State of Zhao.

The king of Zhao took advice from his minister Zhang Mengtan and secretly contacted the Han and Wei armies to reverse their plans and attack the army of Zhi Bo instead. The plan was successful, and the State of Zhao was not only saved but was set to become a powerful kingdom in the region.

Zhang Mengtan immediately submitted his resignation to a confused king of Zhao. When asked why, Zhang Mengtan said, “I've done my duty to save my kingdom, but looking back at past experience, I know sovereign kings are never satisfied with the power or land at hand. They will join others and fight for more power and more land. I must learn from past experiences, as those experiences are the teachers of future events.”
The king could not dispute the logic in that statement and accepted Zhang Mengtan's resignation.

For generations, the State of Zhao continued to fight for power and land until finally defeated and decimated by the State of Qin (which led to the birth of the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.).

自強不息 is a proverb or idiom that suggests that the pursuit of self-improvement is eternal. It can also be a suggestion to strive unremittingly in life.

The first two characters mean inner strength with the idea of self-improvement. The last two characters mean “never rest” or “striving without giving up.”

Some will translate these four characters as “Exert and strive hard without any let-up.”

甘味 is sweet or sweetness in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. This refers to a sweet taste, sugary taste, or sweet flavor. It can also be a noun meaning sweets, dessert, or cake.

This can also refer to charm or appeal (of a woman or lovely thing).

渴法 means to thirst for the truth or the Buddha-way.

渴法 is the internal need to seek the way of the truth in Buddhism.

歲不我與 is a Chinese proverb that means is a way to express, “Time and tide wait for no man.”

The literal meaning of these Chinese characters is, “Years don't [for] oneself wait.” In more natural English, it's more like, “Years will pass by, with or without you.”

There is also an alternate version, 时不我待, which literally means “Time doesn't [for] oneself, wait.” In natural English, it's more like, “Time waits for no man.”

光陰矢の如し is a Japanese proverb that means “time flies like an arrow.” It's very similar to the English idiom, “time and tide wait for no man,” or “life is short.”

The Kanji breakdown:
光陰 = Time (the cycle of light and dark).
[and an]
矢 = Arrow
の = are
如し = Alike

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

歳月人を待たず is a Japanese idiom “Saigetsu hito o matazu” which means “Time waits for no one.”

Another way to put it is, “Time and tide stay for no man.”

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

以牙還牙 is a phrase that often goes with “An eye for an eye,” even in Chinese. Revenge seems to cross all languages, cultures, and even species (animals are known to take revenge too).

If a Chinese person uses just one part of the full proverb, it will be this “tooth for a tooth” one. Although, we are more likely to say “eye for an eye” alone in English.

Chinese people may also read this with the meaning of “Bite me, and I will bite you back.” However, it literally means “tooth for a tooth” or “you take my tooth, I take yours.”

吾道一以貫之 is a phrase from the Analects of Confucius that translates as “My Way has one thread that runs through it.”

Other translations include:
My Way is penetrated by a single thread.
There is one single thread binding my Way together.
My Way is run through with a unifying thread.
My Way is Consistent.
And sometimes poetic license is taken, and it is translated as:
My Way is the only one; I'll treasure it and stick to it with humility until the end.

After this was said, some 2500+ years ago, another disciple of Confucius clarified the meaning by stating, “Our master's Way is to be loyal and have a sense of reciprocity.”

In Japanese, this is purported to be romanized as “Waga michi ichi wo motte kore wo tsuranuku,” though some will argue the true pronunciation.

Note: Sometimes written 吾道以一貫之 instead of 吾道一以貫之 with no difference in meaning.

和平武士 means “Warrior for Peace” (a warrior who fights for peace) in Chinese.

Note this is not the same thing as a “peaceful warrior.”

See Also:  Peace

克己奉公 is a Chinese proverb that is often used to express how one should act as a government official. Most of us wish our public officials would hold themselves to higher standards. I wish I could send this scroll, along with the meaning to every member of Congress, and the President (or if I was from the UK, all the members of Parliament, and the PM)

This can also mean: “Place Strict Standards on Oneself in Public Service.”
The story behind this ancient Chinese idiom:
Cai Zun was born in China a little over 2000 years ago. In 24 AD, he joined an uprising led by Liu Xiu, who later became the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Later, the new emperor put Cai Zun in charge of the military court. Cai Zun exercised his power in strict accordance with military law, regardless of the offender's rank or background. He even ordered the execution of one of the emperor's close servants after the servant committed a serious crime.

Cai Zun led a simple life but put great demands on himself to do all things honorably. The emperor rewarded him for his honest character and honorable nature by promoting him to the rank of General and granting him the title of Marquis.

Whenever Cai Zun would receive an award, he would give credit to his men and share the reward with them.
Cai Zun was always praised by historians who found many examples of his selfless acts that served the public interest.
Sometime long ago in history, people began to refer to Cai Zun as “ke ji feng gong.”

See Also:  Unselfish | Selflessness | Altruism

啟盛世開太平 means “To bring flourishing peace and security to the world (our current era).”

It's a wish that a new door leading to peace and prosperity could be opened to mankind.

Character and word breakdown:
啟 to open; to start; to initiate; to enlighten or awaken.
盛世 a flourishing period; period of prosperity; a golden age.
開 to open; to start; to turn on.
太平 peace and security; peace and tranquility; peace; tranquility.
I don't like to do breakdowns like this, as the words altogether create their unique meaning (encompassed in the main title above).