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2. Do not shed a tear until you see the coffin
3. Dew
4. Saifa
5. The More We Sweat in Training, The Less We Bleed in Battle
Used in modern times for divorced couples that come back together
破鏡重圓 is about a husband and wife who were separated and reunited.
About 1500 years ago in China, there lived a beautiful princess named Le Chang. She and her husband Xu De Yan loved each other very much. But when the army of the Sui Dynasty was about to attack their kingdom, disposed of all of their worldly possessions and prepared to flee into exile.
They knew that in the chaos, they might lose track of each other, so the one possession they kept was a bronze mirror which is a symbol of unity for a husband and wife. They broke the mirror into two pieces, and each of them kept half of the mirror. They decided that if separated, they would try to meet at the fair during the 15th day of the first lunar month (which is the lantern festival). Unfortunately, the occupation was brutal, and the princess was forced to become the mistress of the new commissioner of the territory, Yang Su.
At the Lantern Festival the next year, the husband came to the fair to search for his wife. He carried with him his half of the mirror. As he walked through the fair, he saw the other half of the mirror for sale at a junk market by a servant of the commissioner. The husband recognized his wife's half of the mirror immediately, and tears rolled down his face as he was told by the servant about the bitter and loveless life that the princess had endured.
As his tears dripped onto the mirror, the husband scratched a poem into his wife's half of the mirror:
You left me with the severed mirror,
The mirror has returned, but absent are you,
As I gaze in the mirror, I seek your face,
I see the moon, but as for you, I see not a trace.
The servant brought the inscribed half of the mirror back to the princess. For many days, the princess could not stop crying when she found that her husband was alive and still loved her.
Commissioner Yang Su, becoming aware of this saga, realized that he could never obtain the princess's love. He sent for the husband and allowed them to reunite.
This proverb, 破鏡重圓, is now used to describe a couple who has been torn apart for some reason (usually divorce) but have come back together (or remarried).
It seems to be more common these days in America for divorced couples to reconcile and get married to each other again. This will be a great gift if you know someone who is about to remarry their ex.
不見棺材不落淚 is a cautionary tale that suggests you are unknowingly (though it should be obvious)on a bad course.
It further suggests that you will not realize your folly until the worst has happened.
This can also be a warning of inaction until it's too late to take action. Again, not realizing your error until it's too late.
In an alternate interpretation, some will suggest this means doing something bad and not looking back - Then the worst happens.
It should be noted that this is one of the oddest selections for a wall scroll in our whole Asian calligraphy database. All of our translators are convinced that no Chinese person would ever hang this on their wall.
露 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for dew.
Depending on the context in which this character is used, it can also mean: tears; syrup; nectar; outdoors (not under cover); to show; to reveal; to betray; to expose; scanty; bare; unconcealed; naked; public.
露 can be a Chinese surname Lu. 露 can also be the Japanese surname Tsuyuzaki or Tsuyusaki, and the given names Tsuyu or Akira.
Oddly, 露 is sometimes used as an abbreviation for Russia.
In the Buddhist context, 露 also means dew, but can be a symbol of transience. Sometimes used as a metaphor to expose or disclose knowledge and truth.
砕破 is the title “Saifa” written in Japanese Kanji. This literally means “smash and tear.” Like most styles of martial arts, Saifa has origins in China. It was Higashionna that brought Saifa to Okinawa.
Saifa is generally associated with Gōjū-ryū as a title for a kata.
Notes: While Saifa is often written as 砕破, it can also be written 碎破 (just a variation on the first Kanji). Sometimes written in Japanese Katakana as サイハ.
There is more than one way to translate the ancient Chinese military proverb, 平时多流汗战时少流血. Here are a few interpretations:
A drop of sweat spent in a drill is a drop of blood saved in war.
More practice will give one a better chance of success in real situations.
The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.
I heard this many times when I was a U.S. Marine but I had no idea at the time that it was actually an old Chinese proverb.
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your tears search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
露 see styles |
lù lu4 lu tsuyu つゆ |
More info & calligraphy: Dew(1) dew; (2) tears; (adverb) (3) (See 露聊かも) (not) a bit; (not) at all; (place-name) Russia Dew; symbol of transience; to expose, disclose. |
血汗 see styles |
xuè hàn xue4 han4 hsüeh han kekkan けっかん |
More info & calligraphy: Blood Sweat and Tearsblood, sweat and tears; sweat of blood |
搵 揾 see styles |
wèn wen4 wen |
(literary) to wipe away (tears); to press with one's fingers; to soak |
汍 see styles |
wán wan2 wan |
shed tears |
泪 see styles |
rui るい |
(1) tear; tears; lachrymal secretion; (2) sympathy; (female given name) Rui |
洏 see styles |
ér er2 erh |
to flow (as water or tears) |
涕 see styles |
tì ti4 t`i ti tei / te てい |
tears; nasal mucus (1) tear; tears; lachrymal secretion; (2) sympathy; (personal name) Tei to cry |
涙 see styles |
lèi lei4 lei rui るい |
Japanese variant of 淚|泪[lei4] (1) tear; tears; lachrymal secretion; (2) sympathy; (out-dated or obsolete kana usage) (1) tear; tears; lachrymal secretion; (2) sympathy; (female given name) Rui |
淌 see styles |
tǎng tang3 t`ang tang |
to drip; to trickle; to shed (tears) |
淚 泪 see styles |
lèi lei4 lei rui |
tears Tears. |
万斛 see styles |
bankoku ばんこく |
copious (tears) |
乍ら see styles |
nagara ながら |
(particle) (1) (kana only) while; during; as; (particle) (2) (kana only) (See 我ながら) while; although; though; despite; in spite of; notwithstanding; (particle) (3) (kana only) (See 二つながら) all; both; (particle) (4) (kana only) as (e.g. "as always", "as long ago"); in (e.g. "in tears"); (prefix) (5) (See ながら族・ながらぞく) while doing something else (at the same time) |
乾嚎 干嚎 see styles |
gān háo gan1 hao2 kan hao |
to cry out loud without tears |
乾號 干号 see styles |
gān háo gan1 hao2 kan hao |
to cry out loud without tears |
催淚 催泪 see styles |
cuī lèi cui1 lei4 ts`ui lei tsui lei |
to move to tears (of a story); tear-provoking (gas); lacrimogen |
出づ see styles |
izu いづ |
(v2d-s,vi) (1) (archaism) to leave; to exit; to go out; to come out; to get out; (2) (archaism) to leave (on a journey); to depart; to start out; to set out; (3) (archaism) to move forward; (4) (archaism) to come to; to get to; to lead to; to reach; (5) (archaism) to appear; to come out; to emerge; to surface; to come forth; to turn up; to be found; to be detected; to be discovered; to be exposed; to show; to be exhibited; to be on display; (6) (archaism) to appear (in print); to be published; to be announced; to be issued; to be listed; to come out; (7) (archaism) to attend; to participate; to take part; to enter (an event); to play in; to perform; (8) (archaism) to be stated; to be expressed; to come up; to be brought up; to be raised; (9) (archaism) to sell; (10) (archaism) to exceed; to go over; (11) (archaism) to stick out; to protrude; (12) (archaism) to break out; to occur; to start; to originate; (13) (archaism) to be produced; (14) (archaism) to come from; to be derived from; (15) (archaism) to be given; to get; to receive; to be offered; to be provided; to be presented; to be submitted; to be handed in; to be turned in; to be paid; (16) (archaism) to answer (phone, door, etc.); to get; (17) (archaism) to assume (an attitude); to act; to behave; (18) (archaism) to pick up (speed, etc.); to gain; (19) (archaism) to flow (e.g. tears); to run; to bleed; (20) (archaism) to graduate |
出る see styles |
deru でる |
(v1,vi) (1) (ant: 入る・はいる・1) to leave; to exit; to go out; to come out; to get out; (v1,vi) (2) to leave (on a journey); to depart; to start out; to set out; (v1,vi) (3) to move forward; (v1,vi) (4) to come to; to get to; to lead to; to reach; (v1,vi) (5) to appear; to come out; to emerge; to surface; to come forth; to turn up; to be found; to be detected; to be discovered; to be exposed; to show; to be exhibited; to be on display; (v1,vi) (6) to appear (in print); to be published; to be announced; to be issued; to be listed; to come out; (v1,vi) (7) to attend; to participate; to take part; to enter (an event); to play in; to perform; (v1,vi) (8) to be stated; to be expressed; to come up; to be brought up; to be raised; (v1,vi) (9) to sell; (v1,vi) (10) to exceed; to go over; (v1,vi) (11) to stick out; to protrude; (v1,vi) (12) to break out; to occur; to start; to originate; (v1,vi) (13) to be produced; (v1,vi) (14) to come from; to be derived from; (v1,vi) (15) to be given; to get; to receive; to be offered; to be provided; to be presented; to be submitted; to be handed in; to be turned in; to be paid; (v1,vi) (16) to answer (phone, door, etc.); to get; (v1,vi) (17) to assume (an attitude); to act; to behave; (v1,vi) (18) to pick up (speed, etc.); to gain; (v1,vi) (19) to flow (e.g. tears); to run; to bleed; (v1,vi) (20) to graduate; (v1,vi) (21) (vulgar) to ejaculate; to cum; (place-name) Izuru |
号泣 see styles |
goukyuu / gokyu ごうきゅう |
(n,vs,vi) (1) crying loudly; bawling; wailing; lamentation; (n,vs,vi) (2) (colloquialism) (non-standard usage) crying one's eyes out (without making noise); breaking into a flood of tears; crying buckets; weeping |
吐涙 see styles |
tǔ lèi tu3 lei4 t`u lei tu lei torui |
Female and male seminal fluids which blend for conception. |
哀咽 see styles |
aietsu あいえつ |
(noun/participle) (See 咽び泣く) being choked with tears |
垂泣 see styles |
chuí qì chui2 qi4 ch`ui ch`i chui chi |
to shed tears |
垂淚 垂泪 see styles |
chuí lèi chui2 lei4 ch`ui lei chui lei |
to shed tears |
大粒 see styles |
ootsubu おおつぶ |
(noun - becomes adjective with の) large drop (rain, sweat, tears, etc.); large grain-like object (grape, cherry, etc.) |
妙音 see styles |
miào yīn miao4 yin1 miao yin myouon / myoon みょうおん |
exquisite voice; exquisite music; (place-name) Myōon Wonderful sound. (1) Gadgadasvara, 妙音菩薩 (or 妙音大士) a Bodhisattva, master of seventeen degrees of samādhi, residing in Vairocanaraśmi-pratimaṇḍita, whose name heads chap. 24 of the Lotus Sutra. (2) Sughoṣa, a sister of Guanyin; also a Buddha like Varuṇa controlling the waters 水天德佛, the 743rd Buddha of the present kalpa. (3) Ghoṣa, 瞿沙 an arhat, famous for exegesis, who "restored the eyesight of Dharmavivardhana by washing his eyes with the tears of people who were moved by his eloquence." Eitel. |
忝涙 see styles |
katajikenamida かたじけなみだ |
tears of gratitude |
恋水 see styles |
koimizu こいみず |
tears of love; (female given name) Remi |
悔泣 see styles |
kuyashinaki くやしなき |
(noun/participle) crying from vexation; tears of regret |
悲泣 see styles |
bēi qì bei1 qi4 pei ch`i pei chi hikyuu / hikyu ひきゅう |
to weep with grief (n,vs,vi) tears of grief; crying with sadness to be moved to tears |
悲涙 see styles |
hirui ひるい |
tears of sadness |
感泣 see styles |
kankyuu / kankyu かんきゅう |
(n,vs,vi) being moved to tears |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Broken Mirror Rejoined | 破鏡重圓 破镜重圆 | pò jìng chóng yuán po4 jing4 chong2 yuan2 po jing chong yuan pojingchongyuan | p`o ching ch`ung yüan pochingchungyüan po ching chung yüan |
|
Do not shed a tear until you see the coffin | 不見棺材不落淚 不见棺材不落泪 | bú jiàn guān cái bú luò lèi bu2 jian4 guan1 cai2 bu2 luo4 lei4 bu jian guan cai bu luo lei bujianguancaibuluolei | pu chien kuan ts`ai pu lo lei puchienkuantsaipulolei pu chien kuan tsai pu lo lei |
|
Dew | 露 | ro | lòu / lou4 / lou | |
Saifa | 砕破 | sai fa / saifa | ||
The More We Sweat in Training, The Less We Bleed in Battle | 平時多流汗戰時少流血 平时多流汗战时少流血 | píng shí duō liú hàn zhàn shí shǎo liú xuè ping2 shi2 duo1 liu2 han4 zhan4 shi2 shao3 liu2 xue4 ping shi duo liu han zhan shi shao liu xue | p`ing shih to liu shih shao liu hsüeh ping shih to liu shih shao liu hsüeh |
|
Blood Sweat and Tears | 血汗淚 血汗泪 | xiě hàn lèi xie3 han4 lei4 xie han lei xiehanlei | hsieh han lei hsiehhanlei |
|
Blood Sweat and Tears | 血汗 | kekkan / kekan | xuè hàn / xue4 han4 / xue han / xuehan | hsüeh han / hsüehhan |
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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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 Tears Kanji, Tears Characters, Tears in Mandarin Chinese, Tears Characters, Tears in Chinese Writing, Tears in Japanese Writing, Tears in Asian Writing, Tears Ideograms, Chinese Tears symbols, Tears Hieroglyphics, Tears Glyphs, Tears in Chinese Letters, Tears Hanzi, Tears in Japanese Kanji, Tears Pictograms, Tears in the Chinese Written-Language, or Tears in the Japanese Written-Language.
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Tears was last searched for by someone else on Feb 28th, 2024