身 is how to write “body” as in your human body, in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.

Depending on the context and certain language issues, this character can also mean: main part, hull, oneself, somebody, person, I, me, sword, lifetime, one's station in life, etc.

While this written word is universal in three languages, it still makes a rather odd selection for a wall scroll. Also, they tend to use 体 (karada) in Japanese for the body (depending on context).

See Also:  Karada

言簡意賅 is a Chinese proverb that suggests it is better to be brief and use fewer words while still expressing your main point or idea.

In another way to explain this, one should not use 100 words when 50 will do, or being more concise with your speech.

This can also be translated as concise, compendious, “brief in form but comprehensive in scope” or succinct.

This is a bit more positive than our other proverb for brevity.

佘詩曼 is the name Charmaine in Chinese (Mandarin).

シャーメイン is the name Charmaine in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

海為龍世界雲是鶴家鄉 is a somewhat poetic way to say that everyone and everything has its place in the world.

The first line (which is the column on the right) says, “The Ocean is the World of the Dragon.” The next column says, “The Clouds are the Domain of the Cranes.”

The image to the right is what this calligraphy can look like in xing-kaishu style by a Master Calligrapher.

This is another common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Daniel.

This version drops off the third character, so it sounds a bit more like Danny than Daniel. I think our main version of Daniel is better but this is a popular transliteration according to our research on Chinese Google.

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the male French name Germain.

ジャーメーン is the name Germain in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the female French name Germaine.

ジャーメーン is the name Germaine in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

冰 is the Chinese character used to express “ice” or “frost.”

The main part of the character on the right holds the meaning of “water” and on the left, is a radical (the two dots) that also means water. Together, they create the character that means “ice” (solid water).

This is similar to the character for frost in Japanese. However, Japanese drop the radical from the left side.

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the female Spanish/Latin name Imaine.

イメーン is the name Imaine in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

杰曼 is the name Jermain in Chinese (Mandarin).

ジャーメイン is the name Jermain in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

杰梅因 is the name Jermaine in Chinese (Mandarin).

ジャーメーン is the name Jermaine in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the female Indian name Maïna or Maina.

メーナ is the name Maina in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

This is a common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Maine.

This is also how the state of Maine in the USA is written in Mandarin.

メーン is the name Maine in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

梅恩斯 is the name Maines in Chinese (Mandarin).

メインズ is the name Maines in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

梅恩斯 is the name Mains in Chinese (Mandarin).

メインズ is the name Mains in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

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.

馬努爾 is the name Mainul in Chinese (Mandarin).

マイヌル is the name Mainul in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

同性戀自豪感 or “Gay Pride” is a new idea in China. It's so new, that we may have just started the movement by translating this phrase.

If they ever do start having gay pride parades in China, my best guess is that these 6 characters will constitute the term they use to title the parade/movement.

Who knows, maybe in 10 years they will have a pride parade march straight past Tian'anmen Square on Chang An Street (the main drag in Beijing).

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the male French name Romain.

ロマン is the name Romain in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

羅曼 is the name Romaine in Chinese (Mandarin).

ロメーン is the name Romaine in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

赠人玫瑰手留余香 is a proverb that has been translated several ways:

1. Roses given, fragrance in hand.

2. You present others roses, and the fragrance remains.

3. The fragrance of the rose always remains on the hand of those that bestow them.

4. A little bit of fragrance always clings to the hands which gives the flowers

However, this literally translates as “Give someone rose flowers, [your] hands keep [the] remaining fragrance.”

Besides the main title above, 心殿 also means “The heart or mind as a sacred hall” or “Heart Palace.”

心殿 has a Zen-influenced, introspective meaning. Popular in martial arts, meditation, or personal philosophy spaces.

The feeling of these characters is more inward and personal rather than religious.

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the male Arabic name Smaïn or Smain.

スメーン is the name Smain in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

斯特日曼 is the name Stgermain in Chinese (Mandarin).

セントジャーメイン is the name Stgermain in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

孫悟空 is the name Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King. He is the main character with supernatural powers in the ancient Chinese novel Journey to the West.

This title is also known as the real name of the Monkey King in Japanese. This can also be the Son Goku, better known as simply Goku, a fictional character of the Dragon Ball Japanese manga series.

竈門炭治郎 is the name Tanjiro Kamado in Japanese.

Tanjiro Kamado is the main protagonist of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

真愛 is literally “True Love” in Chinese.

The first character means “real,” “true,” and “genuine.” The second character means “love” and “affection.”

During the customization of your calligraphy wall scroll, there is a place to add an inscription. You might want that inscription to be your names in Chinese down the side of your wall scroll or perhaps just below these two main characters (just $9 extra). A nice gift to celebrate an anniversary or marriage!

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).

First, let's correct something: The Japanese romanization for this character, “Zen” has penetrated the English language. In English, it's almost always incorrectly used for phrases like “That's so zen.” Nobody says, “That's so meditation” - right? As the title of a sect, this would be like saying, “That's so Baptist!"

禪 by itself just means “meditation.” In that context, it should not be confined to use by any one religion or sect.

Regardless of the dictionary definition, more often than not, this character is associated with Buddhism. And here is one of the main reasons:
Zen is used as the title of a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, which strongly emphasizes meditation practice.
However, it should be noted that Buddhism came from India, and “Chan Buddhism” evolved and developed in medieval China. The Chinese character “Chan” was eventually pronounced as “Zen” in Japanese. Chan Buddhists in China have much in common with Zen Buddhists in Japan.

More about the history of Zen Buddhism here.

Please also note that the Japanese Kanji character for Zen has evolved a little in Japan, and the two boxes (kou) that you see at the top of the right side of the character have been replaced by three dots with tails. The original character would still be generally understood and recognized in Japanese (it's considered an ancient version in Japan) but if you want the specifically modern Japanese version, please click on the zen Kanji to the right. Technically, there is no difference between the Tensho and Reisho versions of Zen since they are ancient character styles that existed long before Japan had a written language.

There is also an alternate/shorthand/simplified Chinese version, which has two dots or tails above the right-side radical. This version is also popular for calligraphy in China. If you want this version, just click the character to the right.

Further notes: Zen is just one of seven sects of Buddhism practiced in Japan. The others are 律 Ritsu (or Risshū), 法相 Hossō, 論 Sanron 華嚴 Kegon, 天台 Tendai, and 眞言 Shingon.

諸葛亮 is the name Zhuge Liang, written in Chinese.

Zhuge Liang lived from 181 to 234 A.D.
He was a military leader and prime minister of Shu Han (蜀漢) during the Three Kingdoms period.
He was the main hero of the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms.
He is considered a famous sage, philosopher, and military genius.