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See also: Selections of just Japanese Kanji Calligraphy
1. Strong-Willed / Strong of Heart
4. The Weak are Meat, The Strong Eat
5. Woman of Strong Character / Woman Hero
8. Live Strong
11. Strong / Robust
12. Mighty / Powerful / Strong
16. Strength: Strong and Solid
17. Firm Belief / Strong Faith
18. Stay Strong / Indestructible / Unbreakable
20. Perseverance
22. Unbreakable
23. Mental Toughness
24. Immovable Mind
25. Power / Strength
26. Spiritual Strength / Strength of Spirit
27. Indomitable / Persistence / Fortitude
28. Inner Strength
29. Robust / Sturdy
31. Fortitude / Strength of Character
35. Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance
36. Perseverance / Indomitable / Invincible Fortitude
37. Patience / Perseverance / To Endure / Tolerant
38. Determination to Achieve / Will-Power
40. Free Will
41. No Pain No Gain
42. Sumo Wrestler
43. Romantic Passion
45. Intensity
47. Tsuyoi
48. Iron Man
49. True Love
52. Good Health
56. Desire / Craving
57. Dance
58. Big Wave
59. Resilient in the Face of Adversity
60. Dog
61. Christian / Disciple of Christ
63. Phoenix
64. Warrior
65. Tiger
66. Dragon
68. Tathata / Ultimate Nature of All Things
70. Cuong Nhu
気の強い means strong-willed or strong of heart in Japanese.
Here's the character breakdown of this Japanese title:
気 (ki) spirit; mind; heart; nature; motivation; intention; feelings; essence.
の (no) possessive particle.
強い (tsuyoi) strong; powerful; mighty; potent; resistant; resilient; durable.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
健やか is a verbose way to say strong and healthy in Japanese. 健やか is the “strong” that is appropriate for an athlete.
Beyond “healthy,” it can also mean strength, persistence, vigorous, or invigoration.
Japanese also use the first Kanji to mean the same thing. This version adds two hiragana which serve to emphasize or amplify the word and clarify the meaning.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
We don't really have a word like 健美 in English, but these two characters create a word that means “strong and beautiful.” It could also be translated as “healthy and beautiful.”
Note: 健美 is a word in Chinese and Korean, but it's also the family name Takemi in Japanese. The characters hold the same meaning in Japanese; however, it's like having the English name Stillwell when few people would perceive the meanings of still and well.
Meaning: Survival of the fittest
弱肉強食 is a Japanese and Chinese proverb that literally means “The weak are meat; the strong eat” or “The weak are prey to the strong.”
The closest English version is, “Survival of the fittest.” It also fits with the ideas of, “predatory behavior,” or “The law of the jungle.”
女傑 can mean brave woman, heroine, lady of character, distinguished woman, outstanding woman, and sometimes prominent woman.
Some people might use this to give a title to women like Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Queen Elizabeth the First, Joan of Arc, Mulan Fa, Yevdokiya Nikolayevna Zavaliy, Harriet Tubman, Anne Frank, Clara Barton, and Jane Eyre.
I use it for a woman like Araceli Segarra (the first woman from Spain to climb Mt. Everest) and gave one of my daughters the middle name of Araceli.
強い体強い心 is a way to write “strong mind, strong body” in Japanese.
Each of the two lines starts with 強い (tsuyoi) which means: strong; powerful; mighty; potent; resistant; resilient; durable; tough; stiff; hard; inflexible.
The body is represented with 体 (the ancient version is 體, romanized as karada), which means: body; build; physique; posture; torso; trunk; health.
Mind is represented with 心 (kokoro), which can mean heart, mind, or soul, depending on context.
強い體強い心 is not a common phrase in Japanese, so it's not the most natural title for calligraphy. In English, you might want to write it, “strong mind, strong body” but, “strong mind, strong body,” is more natural in Japanese.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
This “strong” character is the more “healthy” version of strong. 健 is the “strong” that is appropriate for an athlete.
Beyond “healthy,” it can also mean strength, persistence, vigorous, or invigorated/invigoration.
強く生きる is “Live Strong” in Japanese.
If you are a cancer survivor, or simply support Lance Armstrong's ideas, this is a nice selection for a wall scroll.
Note that we are in no way affiliated or connected to Lance, nor his foundation.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
強壯 is an adjective that means powerful or strong.
It can also be translated as able-bodied, robust, or sturdy.
This version of strength also suggests muscularity.
Note that the second character was simplified in Japan after WWII (also simplified in mainland China but not for calligraphy). If you want the modern Japanese/simplified version, please click on the Kanji shown to the right.
This “strong” character means “to strengthen” or robust. This brings images of a muscle-bound hulk of a weight lifter or bodybuilder to an Asian person who sees this character.
Note that in Korean and Japanese, this character is normally part of compound words, and is not seen alone too often.
Note that the this character was simplified in Japan after WWII (also simplified in mainland China but not for calligraphy). If you want the modern Japanese/simplified version, please click on the Kanji shown to the right.
強大 can mean mighty, powerful, large, formidable, or strong.
This term is often used to describe soldiers/troops/warriors and whole armies.
烈婦 is a Japanese title for a strong-minded woman, virtuous woman, or heroin.
In some contexts, it can refer to a pure or chaste woman.
強 is a character that means strong, strength, force, powerful, better, stubborn, and stiff (yes, all of this in one character).
This “strong” has less to do with physical strength and more to do with having a winning attitude, or just having the ability to win at something.
Note that most of the time, this character is pronounced “qiang” but when used with the meaning of stubborn, unyielding, or stiff, it is pronounced “jiang” in Chinese.
Also, sometimes “qiang” is used in modern Chinese to describe people that do crazy things (For example: Bicycling from Beijing to Tibet alone). I sometimes can be found outside my Beijing apartment wearing nothing but shorts and a tee-shirt while eating ice cream during a snow storm, just to hear my neighbors call me “qiang.” Maybe they mean “strong” but perhaps they are using the new meaning of “crazy strong.”
強 can also be a Chinese surname that romanizes as Jiang in the mainland or Chiang if from Taiwan.
強 is a valid Korean Hanja character with the same meaning but is mostly used in compound Korean words.
強 is used in Japanese (though normally in compound words). In Japanese, it has the same meaning but in some contexts can mean “a little more than...” or “a little over [some amount].” Most Japanese would read this as tough, strength, stiff, hard, inflexible, obstinate, or stubborn.
The variant 彊 is sometimes seen in older literature.
鉄心石腸 is a Japanese proverb that suggests you should have the inner-strength and will as hard and steadfast as iron.
It's the Japanese way of saying, “stay strong.” This is an especially uplifting thing to say to a person in distress or recovering from a disaster. It's kind of the survivor's creed.
If you literally translate this, it means “iron will, stone guts” or “iron heart, rock-hard bowels.”
強固 means firmness, stability, security, and strength in Japanese.
It's not used commonly in China, but it means “powerful,” “firm,” “solid,” “strong,” or “better than others” in Chinese. There is a slight variation in the top of the first character between Chinese and Japanese. Because this is more of a Japanese word, we are showing the Japanese form here.
強固 is also a Korean word, but Korean Hanja uses the Chinese form of the first character (one tiny stroke is a little different), so just let me know if your audience is Korean when you place your order, and we'll have it written in the Chinese/Korean version.
金剛不壞 is originally a Buddhist term for “The diamond indestructible.”
Sometimes, it's written 金剛不壞身, The diamond-indestructible body.
Outside that context, it still means firm and solid, sturdy and indestructible, unshakable, or adamantine (a mythological indestructible material).
Note: If you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher, the last Kanji will look like the one shown to the right.
力量 is a general strength term.
It can refer to mental or physical strength (depending on context). 力量 can also be used to describe strength in terms of capability, capacity, ability, and even tact. Some may translate this as power or force.
毅 is the simplest way to express perseverance in Chinese and Korean Hanja.
This single-character version leaves a bit of mystery about what kind of perseverance you might want to convey.
In Korean, this is usually associated with “strength of character.”
In Japanese, this character can be pronounced in a dozen different ways (so we have left out the Japanese pronunciation guide that normally appears above). In Japanese, this Kanji would usually be translated as “strong” (perhaps strong-willed).
体力 means “physical strength” or “physical power.”
The first character was first simplified in Japan. Later, that simplified version became the standard in mainland China. Just in case you want this version, it is offered here. I suggest it if your audience is Japanese. Most Chinese know the older traditional version, which looks like 體力.
体力 can also be defined: stamina; endurance; physical strength; resilience; resistance to disease; clout; stability.
壊れない means unbreakable in Japanese.
The first two characters mean to be broken, to break, to fall through, and to come to nothing. But the last two characters create a negative meaning (like adding “un-” to “breakable”).
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Indomitable Spirit
メンタルタフネス is a Japanese Katakana word for mental toughness.
Katakana is a character set used in Japanese to approximate borrowed English or foreign words. So this is supposed to sound like mental toughness does in English.
Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
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.”
力 is the simplest form of “power” or “strength.”
In Japanese, it is pronounced “chikara” when used alone, and “ryoku” when used in a sentence (there are also a few other possible pronunciations of this Kanji in Japanese).
In some contexts, this can mean ability, force, physical strength, capability, and influence.
精神力量 is a title that speaks of one's soul or spirit and the capacity or strength that soul possesses.
The first two characters mean mind, heart, spirit, and/or soul.
The last two characters mean strength, capacity, or ability.
Note: Separately, these are two words in Japanese and can be pronounced, but this does not make a natural title in Japanese (best if your audience is Chinese).
不屈 is the short form of a longer Chinese word and also a word used in Korean and Japanese to express the idea of being indomitable. It literally means “will not bend,” “will not crouch,” “will not yield,” “will not flinch,” or “will not submit.”
Note: Some will translate this as “indomitable spirit”; however, technically, there is no character to suggest the idea of “spirit” in this word.
內力 is the shorter version of inner strength (can also be translated as “internal force”). The first character holds the meaning of “inner” or “internal.” The second character means “power,” “force,” or “strength.”
內力 is a Kung Fu way of talking about an inner power or strength from within. This is a way to express “inner chi.” This is something that you might hear in a real Chinese Kung Fu movie.
While understood in Chinese and Japanese, this can have a secondary meaning of “inner stress” in Japanese.
強健 means robustness or sturdiness in regards to being healthy and fit.
This can also be used to say “persistently good health.”
忍 contains the ideas of patience, equanimity, perseverance, forbearance, and endurance. Alone, this single character can be a bit ambiguous or flexible. It can also mean to endure, to bear, to put up with, or to conceal. If you want to simply decide what this character means to you within the general meaning but keep it a mystery to others, this is a good choice.
If you want to be more direct, you may want to choose one of our other selections that mean perseverance or patience (you will see this character within those larger words/phrases).
There is a secondary meaning in Japanese since this is the first character of the word ninja.
Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write it in the form shown to the right. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect this Kanji form (yes, it's just one stroke that is slightly different in location, crossing another stroke in the Japanese Kanji form).
See Also: Perseverance | Patience | Tenacious
剛毅 is a Japanese and Chinese word that means resolute and firm, fortitude, firmness of character, hardihood, manliness, or macho.
See Also: Perseverance | Strength | Tenacity
頑強 means “Tenacious,” “Hard to Defeat,” or “Dogged.”
Alone, the first character means mischievous, obstinate, or stubborn. But it loses some of the mischievous meaning when the second character is added.
The second character means strength, force, power, or better.
See Also: Determination | Dedication | Devotion | Never Give Up
不屈不撓 means “Indomitable” or “Unyielding.”
不屈不撓 is a long word by Chinese standards. At least, it is often translated as a single word into English. It's actually a proverb in Chinese.
If you want to break it down, you can see that the first and third characters are the same. Both mean “not” (they work as a suffix to make a negative or opposite meaning to whatever character follows).
The second character means “bendable.”
The last means “scratched” or “bothered.”
So this really means “Won't be bent, can't be bothered.” I have also seen it written as “Will not crouch, will not submit.” This comes from the fact that the second character can mean “to crouch” and the last can mean “to submit” (as in “to give in” such as “submitting to the rule of someone else”). This may explain better why these four characters mean “indomitable.”
Notes:
Some will translate this as “indomitable spirit”; however, technically, there is no character to suggest the idea of “spirit” in this word.
Other translations include indefatigability, indomitableness, or unremitting tenacity.
The first two characters can be stand-alone words in Chinese.
In Japanese, this is considered two words (with very similar meanings). It's more common to see the word order flipped to 不撓不屈 in Japanese.
The same characters are used in old Korean Hanja. Just like in Japanese, the words are swapped to 不撓不屈 creating a word pronounced “불요불굴” in Korean.
See 不撓不屈
堅忍 means persistent, steadfast, fortitude, and/or perseverance.
The first character means strong, solid, firm, unyielding, or resolute.
The second character means to beat, endure, or tolerate.
Together they speak of the strength from within yourself. Some may also translate this as long-suffering in a more Biblical sense.
堅忍 is a common term in Chinese and Korean Hanja but a little less commonly used in modern Japanese Kanji. For that reason, this selection is best if your audience is Chinese or Korean.
Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write the second Kanji a little differently. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect the form where the little horizontal stroke crosses the vertical stroke. See differences in the images to the right. Technically, they are both the same character, and will be read the same in either language.
内面の強さは外見の良さに勝る is a Japanese proverb that literally translates as “inner/internal strength/power [versus] outward-appearance [the] merit/virtue/good quality [does] excel/surpass/exceed/outweigh.”
More naturally in English, this would be “Inner Strength Outweighs Outward Appearance.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
堅忍不抜 means determined, steadfast, unswerving, or unshakable in Japanese.
This is the Japanese version of an old Chinese 4-character perseverance proverb.
This would be understood in Chinese, but it's not commonly written this way in Chinese.
Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese calligraphers sometimes write the second Kanji in the form shown to the right. Yes,
it’s
just one stroke that is slightly different in location, crossing another stroke in this alternate Japanese Kanji form. If you have a preference, let us know when you order.
Due to some odd computer coding conventions, these two character forms were combined/merged into the same code point - thus, you will not see Kanji images of more Japanese form as you select options for your scroll.
忍耐 is patience, the quiet hope, and trust that things will turn out right.
You wait without complaining. You are tolerant and accepting of difficulties and mistakes. You picture the end in the beginning and persevere to meet your goals.
忍耐 can also mean “to endure,” “restrain oneself,” or “forbearance,” and in some contexts, it can mean “perseverance” or “endurance.”
忍耐 is also used as a tenet of Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, and other Korean martial arts where it's titled “Endurance” and romanized as “In Neh.”
Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write the first character in the form shown to the right. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect this Kanji form (yes, it’s just one stroke that is slightly different in location, crossing another stroke in the Japanese Kanji form).
See Also: Peace | Harmony | Perseverance
意志 is a Chinese, Korean, and Japanese word that means “determination to achieve.” It can also be translated as: will; willpower; determination; volition; intention; or intent.
In Japanese, this can also be the given name, Ishi.
意志力 is a form of willpower or self-control and is about having the determination or tenacity to keep going.
In Japanese, this is the power of will, the strength of will, volition, intention, intent, or determination.
自由意志 is a concept that has existed for thousands of years that humans can understand right and wrong, then make a decision one way or the other (thus affecting their fate).
Sources such as Confucius, Buddhist scriptures, the Qur'an, and the Bible all address this idea.
As for the characters shown here, the first two mean free, freedom, or liberty. The last two mean “will.”
Can be romanized from Japanese as jiyū-ishi, jiyuu-ishi, and sometimes jiyuu-ishii.
It's 자유의지 or jayuu-yiji in Korean and zìyóu yìzhì in Chinese.
See Also: Freedom | Strong Willed | Fate
痛みなくして得るものなし is a Japanese phrase that means “no pain, no gain.”
This suggests that with pain, a gain must follow.
The pain Kanji here can also be translated as sorrow or suffering. The gain can also mean profit, advantage, or benefit. In the Japanese Buddhist context, that gain Kanji can mean rebirth in paradise, entering nirvana.
The character breakdown:
痛みなく (itami naku) pain; ache; sore; grief; distress. The naku part adds the meaning of “a lot of” or “extended”
して (shite) and then. (indicates a causative expression; acts as a connective particle)
得る (eru) to get; to acquire; to obtain; to procure; to earn; to win; to gain; to secure; to attain.
もの (mono) conjunctive particle indicating a cause or reason.
なし (nashi) none of; -less; without; no.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
力士 literally means “strong man” but is more commonly used as a title for sumo wrestlers.
In Japanese, this is a Rikishi.
力士 is also used in Chinese and old Korean with the same meaning. Occasionally, this will also be used to refer to a strong or mighty man, hero, demigod, etc. But anyone in the CJK world will first think of a sumo wrestler before the more literary usage as a strong man or demigod.
Beyond romantic passion, 激情 also means “strong emotion” or “fervor.”
The meaning in Japanese is a little more radical, as beyond "passion" it can be understood as "violent emotion" or "fury."
強烈 means intensity in regard to strength.
Note: In some contexts, this can mean violently strong or severe.
全能 means almighty or omnipotent in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
In some contexts, this can mean all-round or strong in every area (especially in athletics).
知識 has the very strong meaning of “knowledge” and, in some contexts, “learning.”
The first character represents “to know” or “to realize.”
The second character alone refers to the ability to “recognize” or “realize” and can also be used to mean “knowing.”
See Also: Wisdom | Learn From Wisdom
沖縄剛柔館 is the martial arts style Okinawan Gojukan or Okinawan Goju-Kan.
The meaning is “Okinawa hardness [and] softness hall.”
沖縄 = Okinawa.
剛 = Hard, firm, or strong.
柔 = Soft, softness, flexible, supple, yielding, gentleness, or pliant.
館 = Hall, building, school room, or an alternate word for a dojo.
欲望 is a word that means strong desire, while some might translate it as “lust.”
The first character of this word means desire, longing, hunger, covetousness, greed, passion, desire, craving, or wish. The second character means to hope for, ambition, desire, aspire, expect, gaze (into the distance), or look for something.
舞踊 is the most proper term for dance or dancing in Japanese.
The first Kanji means “dance,” and the second means to jump or leap. Together, they are just a strong way to say “dance” (the second Kanji just clarifies the first - nobody will translate this as “dance jumping”).
濤 is the Chinese character for “Big Wave.”
It suggests a wave unlike most, strong and powerful.
濤 is technically also a Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja but it's not commonly used in those Asian languages. Pronunciation in Japanese and Korean is provided above for reference only. Just order this if your audience is Chinese.
打たれ強い is often used as a martial arts term.
It means being able to take a lot of punishment or being able to take a hit. In Japanese baseball, it can also refer to the pitcher's ability to keep his cool when the batter gets a hit. 打たれ強い is generally about being resilient and strong in the face of criticism or adversity.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
Year of the Dog / Zodiac Sign
狗 is the character for dog, canine, or hound in Chinese.
If you were born in the year of the dog, you . . .
Are strong-willed
Loyal to your friends and mate.
Never compromise when you think you are right.
Note: Can be pronounced, and means dog in Japanese but feels like a very old word (see our other dog if you need a Japanese dog).
See also our Chinese Zodiac page.
基督徒 is a very strong and direct word in Chinese for “Christian.”
The literal translation of the first two characters is “Christ.”
The last character means apprentice, follower, or disciple.
Altogether these three characters mean “Christ's Disciple” or “Christ's Apprentice.” 基督徒 is a pretty cool title to hang on your wall if you are a devout Christian.
Also used by Japanese Christians (but may be unfamiliar to non-Christian Japanese people).
See Also: Jesus Christ | God of Abraham
寂 means silent, solitary, quiet, calm, still, rest, or tranquil.
This also has a strong association with Buddhism where it can mean “entering into Nirvana.” In that context, this is sometimes used to refer to the passing of a Buddhist monk (he is silent, as he has entered Nirvana). For the living, this is about tranquility (especially of mind).
Some will also use this to mean “elegant simplicity.”
From Sanskrit, this can represent praśama, vivikta, śānti, or nibbāna (nirvāṇa).
凰 is another simple way to write “Phoenix” in Chinese. 凰 is the specifically female element of a phoenix, so this is how you write “female phoenix.” 凰 is sometimes used to represent the female empress (many times in history, China was ruled by a woman, in much the same way queens came to power in Europe).
Note that the emperor is always represented as a dragon (not the male version of a phoenix).
If you see yourself as a strong woman, this might be a calligraphy scroll for you to express “woman power” or “powerful woman” in a cool way.
The first character, 武, is the spirit or essence of a warrior. The second character, 士, means soldier, officer, or official. 武士 is also used appropriately enough to describe a piece of a chess game. 武士 can also be translated as a soldier, cavalier, palace guard, or samurai, and sometimes as a knight. I've occasionally seen this translated as strong man or tough man (gender not necessarily implied).
By far, 武士 is the most common way to write warrior in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
Note: In Japanese, this is Bushi, as in Bushido.
Year of the Tiger / Zodiac Sign
虎 is the character for tiger in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.
Since you already know what a tiger is, here's some trivia: If you look at the Japanese pronunciation, you might remember a movie called “Tora Tora Tora” which was the code word used to initiate the attack on Pearl Harbor. It simply means “Tiger Tiger Tiger.”
In Chinese culture, the tiger is considered to be the king of all animals (in much the way we see the lion in western culture).
From the Chinese Zodiac, if you were born in the year of the tiger, you . . .
Have a strong personality.
Are full of self-confidence.
Love adventure
Don't like to obey others.
See also our Chinese Zodiac or Tiger Calligraphy pages.
Year of the Dragon / Zodiac Sign
龍 is the character for dragon in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.
The dragon is a creature of myth and legend that dominates Chinese, Japanese, and even European folklore. In China, the dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, strength, and power, and the Chinese dragon is known as the god of water.
From the Chinese Zodiac, if you were born in the year of the Dragon, you . . .
Have a strong body and spirit.
Are full of energy.
Have vast goals.
Have a deep level of self-awareness.
Will do whatever you can to “save face.”
See also our Chinese Zodiac or Dragon Calligraphy pages.
家庭/傢庭 is a common way to express family, household, or home in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
However, for a wall scroll, we recommend the single-character form (which is just the first character of this two-character word). If you want that, just click here: Family Single-Character
The first character means “family” or “home.” The second means “courtyard” or “garden.” When combined, the meaning is a bit different, as it becomes “household” or “family.” The home and/or property traditionally has a strong relationship with family in Asia. Some Chinese, Korean, and Japanese families have lived in the same house for 7 or more generations!
真如 comes from the Sanskrit and Pali word often romanized as “tathata” or “tathatā.” Originally written, “तथता.”
It's a Buddhist term often translated as “thusness” or “suchness,” but this does not explain it.
A better explanation may be “the ultimate nature of all things” or “ultimate truth.” However, this gives it too strong of a feeling. This concept is sometimes described as being in awe of the simple nature of something - like a blade of grass blowing in the wind or ripples on water. It is what it is supposed to be, these things follow their nature. Amazing in their mundane simplicity.
Every sect of Buddhism will have a slightly different flavor or explanation, so don't get fixated on one definition.
Notes: Sometimes Buddhists use the word dharmatā, a synonym to tathatā.
In Japan, this can also be the female given name Mayuki, or the surname Majo.
迫力 is a Chinese word that is a form of personal strength.
It is a word that describes a person who is willing to take a risk. In English, we might say, “Someone with guts.”
An example might be a person that is not rich but invests a lot of money into something (knowing they could double their money or lose it all). Win or lose, this is a person that knows or pushes their potential.
Tearing this word apart, the first character means “to compel,” urgent, urge, force, imminent, or “spur on.” The second means power, strong, bear, or exert.
Note: 迫力 is also a word in Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja but with a meaning more like force, intensity, appeal, strength, impact, force, or simply power.
剛柔 is a term that means hardness and softness or hard and soft.
剛柔 is also the Chinese character origin of the martial arts style known as Cương Nhu.
Cương Nhu or Cuong Nhu was founded by Grandmaster Ngo Dong in 1965 in Hue, Vietnam, and brought to the U.S. in 1971.
剛 means hard, firm, strong, and just.
柔 means soft, flexible, supple, yielding, softness, and/or gentleness.
Until it was romanized in the mid-17th century by Portuguese missionaries with later influence by French missionaries, Vietnamese was exclusively written in Chinese characters. With some research, you can still figure out the original way to write most Vietnamese words and titles in Chinese characters. That is what I did here to figure out that Cuong Nhu would have been 剛柔 if established in ancient Vietnam.
Same characters are used in Japanese for various Goju schools of Okinawan martial arts, though not the same lineage as the Vietnamese style described above.
Persistence to overcome all challenges
百折不撓 is a Chinese proverb that means “Be undaunted in the face of repeated setbacks.”
More directly translated, it reads, “[Overcome] a hundred setbacks, without flinching.” 百折不撓 is of Chinese origin but is commonly used in Japanese and somewhat in Korean (same characters, different pronunciation).
This proverb comes from a long, and occasionally tragic story of a man that lived sometime around 25-220 AD. His name was Qiao Xuan, and he never stooped to flattery but remained an upright person at all times. He fought to expose the corruption of higher-level government officials at great risk to himself.
Then when he was at a higher level in the Imperial Court, bandits were regularly capturing hostages and demanding ransoms. But when his own son was captured, he was so focused on his duty to the Emperor and the common good that he sent a platoon of soldiers to raid the bandits' hideout, and stop them once and for all even at the risk of his own son's life. While all of the bandits were arrested in the raid, they killed Qiao Xuan's son at first sight of the raiding soldiers.
Near the end of his career, a new Emperor came to power, and Qiao Xuan reported to him that one of his ministers was bullying the people and extorting money from them. The new Emperor refused to listen to Qiao Xuan and even promoted the corrupt Minister. Qiao Xuan was so disgusted that in protest, he resigned from his post as minister (something almost never done) and left for his home village.
His tombstone reads “Bai Zhe Bu Nao” which is now a proverb used in Chinese culture to describe a person of strong will who puts up stubborn resistance against great odds.
My Chinese-English dictionary defines these 4 characters as “keep on fighting despite all setbacks,” “be undaunted by repeated setbacks,” and “be indomitable.”
Our translator says it can mean “never give up” in modern Chinese.
Although the first two characters are translated correctly as “repeated setbacks,” the literal meaning is “100 setbacks” or “a rope that breaks 100 times.” The last two characters can mean “do not yield” or “do not give up.”
Most Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people will not take this absolutely literal meaning but will instead understand it as the title suggests above. If you want a single big word definition, it would be indefatigability, indomitableness, persistence, or unyielding.
See Also: Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Perseverance | Persistence
思い切り can be translated as “with all one's strength,” “with all one's heart,” “to the limits of your heart,” or “to the end of your heart/emotions.”
The character breakdown:
思い (omoi) thought; mind; heart; feelings; emotion; sentiment; love; affection; desire; wish; hope; expectation; imagination; experience
切り (kiri) bounds; limits.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
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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 | |
Strong-Willed Strong of Heart | 氣の強い 気の強い | ki no tsuyo i kinotsuyoi | ||
Strong Healthy | 健やか | sukoyaka | ||
Strong and Beautiful | 健美 | takemi | jiàn měi / jian4 mei3 / jian mei / jianmei | chien mei / chienmei |
The Weak are Meat, The Strong Eat | 弱肉強食 | jaku niku kyoo shoku jakunikukyooshoku jaku niku kyo shoku | ruò ròu qiáng shí ruo4 rou4 qiang2 shi2 ruo rou qiang shi ruorouqiangshi | jo jou ch`iang shih jojouchiangshih jo jou chiang shih |
Woman of Strong Character Woman Hero | 女傑 女杰 | joketsu | nǚ jié / nv3 jie2 / nv jie / nvjie | nü chieh / nüchieh |
Strong Body, Strong Mind | 強い體強い心 強い体強い心 | tsuyo i karada tsuyo i kokoro tsuyoikaradatsuyoikokoro | ||
Strong Healthy | 健 | ken | jiàn / jian4 / jian | chien |
Live Strong | 強く生きる | tsuyoku ikiru tsuyokuikiru | ||
The Strong One | 強いもの | tsuyoi mono tsuyoimono | ||
Strong Powerful | 強壯 强壮 | kyousou / kyoso | qiáng zhuàng qiang2 zhuang4 qiang zhuang qiangzhuang | ch`iang chuang chiangchuang chiang chuang |
Strong Robust | 壯 壮 | sou / so | zhuàng / zhuang4 / zhuang | chuang |
Mighty Powerful Strong | 強大 强大 | kyoudai / kyodai | qiáng dà / qiang2 da4 / qiang da / qiangda | ch`iang ta / chiangta / chiang ta |
Strong-Minded Woman | 烈婦 | reppu / repu | ||
Strong Powerful Force | 強 强 | kyou / kyo | qiáng / qiang2 / qiang | ch`iang / chiang |
Stay Strong Iron Will | 鉄心石腸 | tesshin sekichou tesshinsekichou teshin sekicho | ||
Strength: Strong and Solid | 強固 强固 | kyouko / kyoko | qiáng gù / qiang2 gu4 / qiang gu / qianggu | ch`iang ku / chiangku / chiang ku |
Firm Belief Strong Faith | 堅信 坚信 | ken shin / kenshin | jiān xìn / jian1 xin4 / jian xin / jianxin | chien hsin / chienhsin |
Stay Strong Indestructible Unbreakable | 金剛不壞 / 金剛不壊 金刚不坏 | kon gou fu e kongoufue kon go fu e | jīn gāng bù huài jin1 gang1 bu4 huai4 jin gang bu huai jingangbuhuai | chin kang pu huai chinkangpuhuai |
Strength Ability | 力量 | riki ryou / rikiryou / riki ryo | lì liàng / li4 liang4 / li liang / liliang | |
Perseverance | 毅 | see note / seenote / se note | yì / yi4 / yi | i |
Physical Strength | 體力 体力 | tai ryoku / tairyoku | tǐ lì / ti3 li4 / ti li / tili | t`i li / tili / ti li |
Physical Strength | 體力 体力 | tairyoku | tǐ lì / ti3 li4 / ti li / tili | t`i li / tili / ti li |
Unbreakable | 壊れない | kowa re na i kowarenai | ||
Mental Toughness | メンタルタフネス | mentarutafunesu | ||
Immovable Mind | 不動心 | fu dou shin fudoushin fu do shin | ||
Power Strength | 力 | chikara / ryoku | lì / li4 / li | |
Spiritual Strength Strength of Spirit | 精神力量 | seishin rikiryou seishinrikiryou seishin rikiryo | jīng shén lì liàng jing1 shen2 li4 liang4 jing shen li liang jingshenliliang | ching shen li liang chingshenliliang |
Indomitable Persistence Fortitude | 不屈 | fukutsu | bù qū / bu4 qu1 / bu qu / buqu | pu ch`ü / puchü / pu chü |
Inner Strength | 內力 内力 | nai ryoku / nairyoku | nèi lì / nei4 li4 / nei li / neili | |
Robust Sturdy | 強健 强健 | kyouken / kyoken | qiáng jiàn qiang2 jian4 qiang jian qiangjian | ch`iang chien chiangchien chiang chien |
Patience Perseverance | 忍 | nin | rěn / ren3 / ren | jen |
Fortitude Strength of Character | 剛毅 刚毅 | gouki / goki | gāng yì / gang1 yi4 / gang yi / gangyi | kang i / kangi |
Tenacious Tenacity | 頑強 顽强 | gan kyou / gankyou / gan kyo | wán qiáng wan2 qiang2 wan qiang wanqiang | wan ch`iang wanchiang wan chiang |
Indomitable Unyielding | 不屈不撓 不屈不挠 | fu kutsu fu tou fukutsufutou fu kutsu fu to | bù qū bù náo bu4 qu1 bu4 nao2 bu qu bu nao buqubunao | pu ch`ü pu nao puchüpunao pu chü pu nao |
Perseverance Fortitude | 堅忍 坚忍 | ken nin / kennin | jiǎn rěn / jian3 ren3 / jian ren / jianren | chien jen / chienjen |
Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance | 内面の強さは外見の良さに勝る | naimen no tsuyosa ha gaiken no yosa ni masaru | ||
Perseverance Indomitable Invincible Fortitude | 堅忍不抜 / 堅忍不拔 坚忍不拔 | kenninfubatsu | jiān rěn bù bá jian1 ren3 bu4 ba2 jian ren bu ba jianrenbuba | chien jen pu pa chienjenpupa |
Patience Perseverance To Endure Tolerant | 忍耐 | nin tai / nintai | rěn nài / ren3 nai4 / ren nai / rennai | jen nai / jennai |
Determination to Achieve Will-Power | 意志 | ishi | yì zhì / yi4 zhi4 / yi zhi / yizhi | i chih / ichih |
Will-Power Self-Control | 意志力 | ishi ryoku / ishiryoku | yì zhì lì yi4 zhi4 li4 yi zhi li yizhili | i chih li ichihli |
Free Will | 自由意志 | jiyuu ishi / jiyuuishi / jiyu ishi | zì yóu yì zhì zi4 you2 yi4 zhi4 zi you yi zhi ziyouyizhi | tzu yu i chih tzuyuichih |
No Pain No Gain | 痛みなくして得るものなし | itami naku shite erumono wa nashi | ||
Sumo Wrestler | 力士 | ri kishi / rikishi | lì shì / li4 shi4 / li shi / lishi | li shih / lishih |
Romantic Passion | 激情 | gekijou / gekijo | jī qíng / ji1 qing2 / ji qing / jiqing | chi ch`ing / chiching / chi ching |
Herculean Strength | 強力 强力 | kyou ryoku / kyouryoku / kyo ryoku | qiáng lì / qiang2 li4 / qiang li / qiangli | ch`iang li / chiangli / chiang li |
Intensity | 強烈 强烈 | kyouretsu / kyoretsu | qiáng liè qiang2 lie4 qiang lie qianglie | ch`iang lieh chianglieh chiang lieh |
Almighty Omnipotent | 全能 | zennou / zenno | quán néng quan2 neng2 quan neng quanneng | ch`üan neng chüanneng chüan neng |
Tsuyoi | 強い | tsuyoi | ||
Iron Man | 鉄人 | tetsujin | ||
True Love | 屋烏の愛 | okuunoai / okunoai | ||
Courage and Strength | 勇力 | yuu ri / yuuri / yu ri | yǒng lì / yong3 li4 / yong li / yongli | yung li / yungli |
Gojukan Goju-Kan | 剛柔館 刚柔馆 | gou juu kan goujuukan go ju kan | ||
Good Health | 健康 | kenkou / kenko | jiàn kāng jian4 kang1 jian kang jiankang | chien k`ang chienkang chien kang |
Perception of Knowledge | 知識 知识 | chishiki | zhī shi / zhi1 shi / zhi shi / zhishi | chih shih / chihshih |
Shitsujitsu Goken | 質実剛健 | shitsu jitsu gou ken shitsujitsugouken shitsu jitsu go ken | ||
Okinawan Goju-Kan | 沖縄剛柔館 沖縄刚柔馆 | okinawa gou juu kan okinawagoujuukan okinawa go ju kan | ||
Desire Craving | 欲望 | yokubou / yokubo | yù wàng / yu4 wang4 / yu wang / yuwang | yü wang / yüwang |
Dance | 舞踴 舞踊 | buyou / buyo | ||
Big Wave | 濤 涛 | nami | tāo / tao1 / tao | t`ao / tao |
Resilient in the Face of Adversity | 打たれ強い | u ta re tsuyo i utaretsuyoi | ||
Dog | 狗 | inu / ku | gǒu / gou3 / gou | kou |
Christian Disciple of Christ | 基督徒 | kirisuto | jī dū tú ji1 du1 tu2 ji du tu jidutu | chi tu t`u chitutu chi tu tu |
Silent Solitary | 寂 | jaku | jì / ji4 / ji | chi |
Phoenix (female) | 凰 | ou / o | huáng / huang2 / huang | |
Warrior | 武士 | bu shi / bushi | wǔ shì / wu3 shi4 / wu shi / wushi | wu shih / wushih |
Tiger | 虎 | tora | hǔ / hu3 / hu | |
Dragon | 龍 龙 | ryuu / tatsu ryu / tatsu | lóng / long2 / long | lung |
Family Household | 家庭 / 傢庭 家庭 | ka tei / katei | jiā tíng / jia1 ting2 / jia ting / jiating | chia t`ing / chiating / chia ting |
Tathata Ultimate Nature of All Things | 真如 | shinnyo | zhēn rú / zhen1 ru2 / zhen ru / zhenru | chen ju / chenju |
Gutsy Daring Bold | 迫力 | hakuryoku | pò lì / po4 li4 / po li / poli | p`o li / poli / po li |
Cuong Nhu | 剛柔 | gou juu / goujuu / go ju | gāng róu / gang1 rou2 / gang rou / gangrou | kang jou / kangjou |
Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks | 百折不撓 百折不挠 | hyaku setsu su tou hyakusetsusutou hyaku setsu su to | bǎi zhé bù náo bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2 bai zhe bu nao baizhebunao | pai che pu nao paichepunao |
With all the strength of your heart | 思い切り | omoi kiri / omoikiri | ||
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. |
Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...
All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.
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.
After we create your wall scroll, it takes at least two weeks for air mail delivery from Beijing to you.
Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.
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 Strong in Japanese Kanji Kanji, Strong in Japanese Kanji Characters, Strong in Japanese Kanji in Mandarin Chinese, Strong in Japanese Kanji Characters, Strong in Japanese Kanji in Chinese Writing, Strong in Japanese Kanji in Japanese Writing, Strong in Japanese Kanji in Asian Writing, Strong in Japanese Kanji Ideograms, Chinese Strong in Japanese Kanji symbols, Strong in Japanese Kanji Hieroglyphics, Strong in Japanese Kanji Glyphs, Strong in Japanese Kanji in Chinese Letters, Strong in Japanese Kanji Hanzi, Strong in Japanese Kanji in Japanese Kanji, Strong in Japanese Kanji Pictograms, Strong in Japanese Kanji in the Chinese Written-Language, or Strong in Japanese Kanji in the Japanese Written-Language.