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2. 5. Right Living / Right Livelihood / Perfect Livelihood
4. Life Force
6. Vitality
7. Love Life
8. Spiritual Peace / Enlightened Peace
9. Such is Life / Such is Destiny
10. Music is Life
14. I am the Master of My Destiny
16. Jesus is My Life
17. My life is complete because of you
19. John 14:15
命 is often translated as “destiny.”
Sometimes this character is simply translated as “life” but more in terms of one's lot in life. In a certain context, this can mean command or decree (generally from a king or emperor). Of course, such a decree is part of fate and leads you to fulfill your destiny.
In Chinese, this word leans toward the fate or destiny definition.
In Korean, it is usually read simply as “life.”
In Japanese, it can mean all definitions shown above, depending on context.
Samyag Ajiva / Samma Ajiva
正命 (right living) is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism.
Right Living, along with Right Speech and Right Action, constitute the path to Virtue.
Right Living means that a Buddhist should only take a job or pursue a career in a field that does no harm. Buddhists should not work in the arms trade, as pimps or in the field of prostitution, as a butcher or in a shop that kills or sells meat, in a laboratory that does animal research, or in any other business that involves scheming or unethical behavior.
Another definition: Avoidance of professions that are harmful to sentient beings, such as slaughterer, hunter, dealer in weaponry or narcotics, etc.
This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
These two characters contain the ideas of fate, destiny, fortune, and luck.
You can also say that it means “what life throws at you” or “your lot in life” because the first character contains the idea of life or living.
This version is really only used in Chinese. There's another version with just the characters reversed that is more universal. In fact, skip this one. The opposite character order is better.
These two characters contain the ideas of fate, destiny, fortune, and luck in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
運命 is often defined as “a person's fate” or “personal fate” in various dictionaries.
These two characters can be reversed (written in either order) and yield roughly the same meaning.
This particular character order is more common in old Korean and less common in modern Chinese.
This Chinese, Korean and Japanese word means “life force” or simply “life.”
The first character means “life” or “birth.” The second means “life” or “fate.” Together they create the meaning of “life force,” though some will translate this as “existence” and sometimes “vitality.”
生命力 can mean “vitality” or “libido.”
The first two characters mean “life” or “life force.” The last character is a common word that means “strength.” So together, you get the meaning of “life strength” which is the essence of vitality.
Some will also translate this word as “good health.”
熱愛生命 is the Chinese phrase for “Love Life” or “Love of Life.”
If you love your life or want a reminder on your wall to keep you loving your life each day, this is the selection for you.
To clarify, this is different than “A life full of love,” or “love while you live.” With this phrase, you are loving the state of being alive.
Note: Korean pronunciation is included above, though use of this phrase in Korean has not been verified.
These Japanese Kanji, 安心立命, can be translated as “religious enlightenment” or “spiritual peace gained through faith.”
Other dictionaries define as “spiritual peace and enlightenment” or “keeping an unperturbed mind through faith.”
My Buddhist dictionary defines it as “spiritual peace and realization of enlightenment.”
In the Zen school, this is about settling one's body and life; attaining complete peace, and establishing one's course of life in accord with the ultimate reality.
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"
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.
吐く息一つにも生命が宿り means “life in every breath” in Japanese.
This phrase is more like “every single breath as you live and dwell.”
The characters breakdown this way:
吐く息 (hakuiki) to breathe; exhaled air; one's breath; breathing.
一つ (hitotsu) one; only; just.
にも (nimo) also; too; as well; even.
生命 (seimei) life; existence; living.
が (ga) particle.
宿り (yadori) to lodge; to dwell; lodging; abode; shelter.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
你們若愛我就必遵守我的命令 is the translation of John 14:15 into Chinese.
This comes from the Chinese Union Bible which comes from a revised King James version. This Chinese Bible was originally translated and printed in 1919 (several revisions since then).
Because of the origin being the KJV, I'll say that in English, this would be, “If ye love me, keep my commandments...”
In basic English, this would be, “If you have love for me, you will keep my laws.”
These are the eight tenets of the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path written altogether.
Here's this list of tenets in English:
1. Right View / Right Understanding / Right Perspective / Perfect View
2. Right Resolve / Right Thought / Right Intention / Perfect Resolve
3. Right Speech / Right Talk / Perfect Speech
4. Right Action / Perfect Conduct
5. Right Living / Right Livelihood / Perfect Livelihood
6. Right Effort / Right Endeavor / Perfect Effort
7. Right Mindfulness / Right Memory / Perfect Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration / Perfect Concentration
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 命 search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
命 see styles |
mìng ming4 ming mei / me めい |
More info & calligraphy: Destiny / Fate(1) (See 命令・1) order; command; decree; (2) (See 生命・1) life; (3) (See 運命) destiny; fate; (female given name) Mei jīvita . Life, vital, length of life, fate, decree. |
命運 命运 see styles |
mìng yùn ming4 yun4 ming yün meiun / meun めいうん |
More info & calligraphy: Destiny / Fatefate; destiny |
正命 see styles |
zhèng mìng zheng4 ming4 cheng ming shoumyou / shomyo しょうみょう |
More info & calligraphy: 5. Right Living / Right Livelihood / Perfect Livelihoodsamyagājīva, the fifth of the 八正道, right livelihood, right life; 'abstaining from any of the forbidden modes of living. ' 正因 The true or direct cause, as compared with 緣因 a contributory cause. |
生命 see styles |
shēng mìng sheng1 ming4 sheng ming seimei / seme せいめい |
More info & calligraphy: Life Force(1) (occ. read いのち) life; existence; (n,n-suf) (2) (See 役者生命) (one's) working life; career; (3) life force; lifeblood; soul; essence |
運命 运命 see styles |
yùn mìng yun4 ming4 yün ming unmei(p); sadame(gikun) / unme(p); sadame(gikun) うんめい(P); さだめ(gikun) |
More info & calligraphy: Destiny / Fate(noun - becomes adjective with の) fate; destiny; lot; (personal name) Yukinobu fate |
生命力 see styles |
shēng mìng lì sheng1 ming4 li4 sheng ming li seimeiryoku / semeryoku せいめいりょく |
More info & calligraphy: Vitalityvitality; (one's) life force |
安心立命 see styles |
ān xīn lì mìng an1 xin1 li4 ming4 an hsin li ming anshinritsumei; anjinryuumei; anjinryuumyou; anjinritsumei / anshinritsume; anjinryume; anjinryumyo; anjinritsume あんしんりつめい; あんじんりゅうめい; あんじんりゅうみょう; あんじんりつめい |
More info & calligraphy: Spiritual Peace / Enlightened Peacespiritual peace and realization of enlightenment |
一命 see styles |
yī mìng yi1 ming4 i ming ichimei / ichime いちめい |
(a) life; (a) command one life |
三命 see styles |
sanmei / sanme さんめい |
(surname) Sanmei |
下命 see styles |
kamei / kame かめい |
(noun, transitive verb) order; command |
丟命 丢命 see styles |
diū mìng diu1 ming4 tiu ming |
to die |
主命 see styles |
shumei; shuumei / shume; shume しゅめい; しゅうめい |
ruler's orders; master's orders |
乗命 see styles |
noritoshi のりとし |
(male given name) Noritoshi |
亡命 see styles |
wáng mìng wang2 ming4 wang ming boumei / bome ぼうめい |
to flee; to go into exile (from prison) (n,vs,vi) fleeing from one's country; seeking asylum; defection; emigration (for political reasons); (going into) exile; becoming a (political) refugee |
京命 see styles |
kyoumei / kyome きょうめい |
(place-name) Kyōmei |
人命 see styles |
rén mìng ren2 ming4 jen ming jinmei / jinme じんめい |
human life; CL:條|条[tiao2] (human) life |
任命 see styles |
rèn mìng ren4 ming4 jen ming ninmei / ninme にんめい |
to appoint; (job) appointment; CL:紙|纸[zhi3] (n,vs,vt,adj-no) appointment; nomination; ordination; commission; designation |
余命 see styles |
yomei / yome よめい |
remainder of one's life; one's remaining days; time left (to live) |
作命 see styles |
sakumei / sakume さくめい |
(abbreviation) {mil} (See 作戦命令・さくせんめいれい) operation order |
使命 see styles |
shǐ mìng shi3 ming4 shih ming shimei / shime しめい |
mission; long-term task to which one devotes oneself; a calling (1) mission; errand; (2) task; duty; obligation |
依命 see styles |
imei / ime いめい |
(adj-no,n) by order (of a superior); as instructed; official (e.g. notification) |
保命 see styles |
bǎo mìng bao3 ming4 pao ming houmei / home ほうめい |
to preserve one's life; to ensure one's survival preserving one's life; longevity; long life |
候命 see styles |
hòu mìng hou4 ming4 hou ming |
to await orders; to be on call |
借命 see styles |
jiè mìng jie4 ming4 chieh ming |
to live out a pointless existence |
催命 see styles |
cuī mìng cui1 ming4 ts`ui ming tsui ming |
to press sb to death; fig. to pressurize sb continually |
傷命 伤命 see styles |
shāng mìng shang1 ming4 shang ming shōmyō |
Injury to life. |
償命 偿命 see styles |
cháng mìng chang2 ming4 ch`ang ming chang ming |
to pay with one's life |
元命 see styles |
motonaga もとなが |
(personal name) Motonaga |
内命 see styles |
naimei / naime ないめい |
(noun, transitive verb) private or secret orders |
別命 see styles |
betsumei / betsume べつめい |
(1) another order; different order; (2) special mission |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Destiny Fate | 命 | inochi / mei | mìng / ming4 / ming | |
5. Right Living Right Livelihood Perfect Livelihood | 正命 | sei myou / seimyou / sei myo | zhèng mìng zheng4 ming4 zheng ming zhengming | cheng ming chengming |
Destiny Fate | 命運 命运 | mìng yùn / ming4 yun4 / ming yun / mingyun | ming yün / mingyün | |
Destiny Fate | 運命 运命 | un mei / unmei | yùn mìng / yun4 ming4 / yun ming / yunming | yün ming / yünming |
Life Force | 生命 | seimei / inochi | shēng mìng sheng1 ming4 sheng ming shengming | |
Rebel Revolutionary | 革命者 | kaku mei sha kakumeisha | gé mìng zhě ge2 ming4 zhe3 ge ming zhe gemingzhe | ko ming che komingche |
Vitality | 生命力 | seimeiryoku | shēng mìng lì sheng1 ming4 li4 sheng ming li shengmingli | |
Love Life | 熱愛生命 热爱生命 | rè ài shēng mìng re4 ai4 sheng1 ming4 re ai sheng ming reaishengming | je ai sheng ming jeaishengming |
|
Spiritual Peace Enlightened Peace | 安心立命 | an jin ritsu myou anjinritsumyou an jin ritsu myo | ||
Such is Life Such is Destiny | 這就是命 这就是命 | zhè jiù shì mìng zhe4 jiu4 shi4 ming4 zhe jiu shi ming zhejiushiming | che chiu shih ming chechiushihming |
|
Music is Life | 音樂就是生命 音乐就是生命 | yīn yuè jiù shì shēng mìng yin1 yue4 jiu4 shi4 sheng1 ming4 yin yue jiu shi sheng ming yinyuejiushishengming | yin yüeh chiu shih sheng ming | |
You Only Live Once | 生命隻有一次 生命只有一次 | shēng mìng zhǐ yǒu yí cì sheng1 ming4 zhi3 you3 yi2 ci4 sheng ming zhi you yi ci shengmingzhiyouyici | sheng ming chih yu i tz`u shengmingchihyuitzu sheng ming chih yu i tzu |
|
Choose Your Own Destiny | 選擇自己的命運 选择自己的命运 | xuǎn zé zì jǐ de mìng yùn xuan3 ze2 zi4 ji3 de ming4 yun4 xuan ze zi ji de ming yun xuanzezijidemingyun | hsüan tse tzu chi te ming yün | |
I Control My Own Destiny | 我的命運我掌握 我的命运我掌握 | wǒ de mìng yùn wǒ zhǎng wò wo3 de ming4 yun4 wo3 zhang3 wo4 wo de ming yun wo zhang wo wodemingyunwozhangwo | wo te ming yün wo chang wo wotemingyünwochangwo |
|
I am the Master of My Destiny | 我命由我不由天 | wǒ mìng yóu wǒ bù yóu tiān wo3 ming4 you2 wo3 bu4 you2 tian1 wo ming you wo bu you tian womingyouwobuyoutian | wo ming yu wo pu yu t`ien womingyuwopuyutien wo ming yu wo pu yu tien |
|
Fortune Favors The Brave | 命運鐘情於勇士 命运钟情于勇士 | mìng yùn zhōng qíng yú yǒng shì ming4 yun4 zhong1 qing2 yu2 yong3 shi4 ming yun zhong qing yu yong shi | ming yün chung ch`ing yü yung shih ming yün chung ching yü yung shih |
|
Jesus is My Life | 耶穌是我的生命 耶稣是我的生命 | yē sū shì wǒ de shēng mìng ye1 su1 shi4 wo3 de sheng1 ming4 ye su shi wo de sheng ming yesushiwodeshengming | yeh su shih wo te sheng ming yehsushihwoteshengming |
|
My life is complete because of you | 我的生命因為有你就完整 我的生命因为有你就完整 | wǒ de shēng mìng yīn wèi yǒu nǐ jiù wán zhěng wo3 de sheng1 ming4 yin1 wei4 you3 ni3 jiu4 wan2 zheng3 wo de sheng ming yin wei you ni jiu wan zheng | wo te sheng ming yin wei yu ni chiu wan cheng | |
Life in Every Breath | 吐く息一つにも生命が宿り | hakuiki hitotsu nimo seimei ga yadori | ||
John 14:15 | 你們若愛我就必遵守我的命令 你们若爱我就必遵守我的命令 | nǐ mén ruò ài wǒ jiù bì zūn shǒu wǒ de mìng lìng ni3 men2 ruo4 ai4 wo3 jiu4 bi4 zun1 shou3 wo3 de ming4 ling4 ni men ruo ai wo jiu bi zun shou wo de ming ling | ni men jo ai wo chiu pi tsun shou wo te ming ling | |
All Tenets of the Noble Eightfold Path | 正見正思唯正語正業正命正精進正念正定 正见正思唯正语正业正命正精进正念正定 | shouken shoushiyui shougo shougo shoumyou shoushoujin shounen shoujou shoken shoshiyui shogo shogo shomyo shoshojin shonen shojo | zhèng jiàn zhèng sī wéi zhèng yǔ zhèng yè zhèng mìng zhèng jīng jìn zhèng niàn zhèng dìng zheng4 jian4 zheng4 si1 wei2 zheng4 yu3 zheng4 ye4 zheng4 ming4 zheng4 jing1 jin4 zheng4 nian4 zheng4 ding4 zheng jian zheng si wei zheng yu zheng ye zheng ming zheng jing jin zheng nian zheng ding | cheng chien cheng ssu wei cheng yü cheng yeh cheng ming cheng ching chin cheng nien cheng ting |
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.