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Mandarin Chinese information.
Old Wade-Giles romanization used only in Taiwan.
Japanese information.
Buddhist definition. Note: May not apply to all sects.
 Definition may be different outside of Buddhism.

There are 856 total results for your Writing search in the dictionary. I have created 9 pages of results for you. Each page contains 100 results...

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Characters Pronunciation
Romanization
Simple Dictionary Definition

see styles
nài
    nai4
nai
 nana
    なな

More info & calligraphy:

Nay
used in expressions that convey frustration and futility, such as 無奈|无奈[wu2 nai4] and 莫可奈何|莫可奈何[mo4 ke3 nai4 he2] (literary); used for its phonetic value in writing foreign words
(female given name) Nana
Remedy, alternative, how ? what ? a yellow plum.

see styles
wén
    wen2
wen
 remon
    れもん

More info & calligraphy:

Ven
language; culture; writing; formal; literary; gentle; (old) classifier for coins; Kangxi radical 67
(1) (hist) mon; one-thousandth of a kan (unit of currency 1336-1870); (2) mon; traditional unit used for shoe and sock sizes (approx. 2.4 cm); (3) letter; character; sentence; (4) (abbreviation) (See 経文,呪文) scripture; incantation; (female given name) Remon
Letters, literature, writing; refined; culture; civil; a despatch; veined; a cash; to gloss.


see styles
shū
    shu1
shu
 sho
    しょ

More info & calligraphy:

Book
book; letter; document; CL:本[ben3],冊|册[ce4],部[bu4]; to write
(n,n-suf) (1) book; document; (2) calligraphy (esp. Chinese); penmanship; (3) handwriting; (4) letter; note
likh; to write; pustaka, a writing, book; lekha, a letter, document.


see styles
jiǎn
    jian3
chien
 kan
    かん

More info & calligraphy:

Simplicity
simple; uncomplicated; letter; to choose; to select; bamboo strips used for writing (old)
(1) (See 簡にして要を得る) (ant: 繁・1) simplicity; brevity; (2) letter; note; correspondence; (3) bamboo writing strip (in ancient China); (4) (abbreviation) (See 簡体字) simplified Chinese character; (surname) Kan
A tablet, memorandum; to abridge; appoint; examine; abrupt, concise, direct.

see styles
cào
    cao4
ts`ao
    tsao
 hajime
    はじめ

More info & calligraphy:

Cao / Kusa / Grass
variant of 肏[cao4]
(1) draft; rough copy; (2) (abbreviation) (See 草書) highly cursive style (of writing Chinese characters); grass style; (female given name) Hajime
Grass, herbs, plants; rough; female (of animals, birds, etc. ).

四大

see styles
sì dà
    si4 da4
ssu ta
 shidai
    しだい

More info & calligraphy:

Shidai / Sida / Mahabhuta
the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind (Buddhism); the four freedoms: speaking out freely, airing views fully, holding great debates, and writing big-character posters, 大鳴大放|大鸣大放[da4 ming2 da4 fang4], 大辯論|大辩论[da4 bian4 lun4], 大字報|大字报[da4 zi4 bao4] (PRC)
(1) {Buddh} the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind); (2) the human body; (3) Tao, heaven, earth and king
mahābhūta, 四界; 四大界. The four elements of which all things are made; or the four realms; i. e. earth, water, fire, and wind (or air); they represent 堅, 濕, 煖, and 動 solid, liquid, heat, and motion; motion produces and maintains life. As 實 active or formative forces they are styled 四界 (四大界) ; as 假 passive or material objects they are 四大; but the 成實論 Satyasiddhi śāstra disputes the 實 and recognizes only the 假.

復古


复古

see styles
fù gǔ
    fu4 gu3
fu ku
 fukko
    ふっこ

More info & calligraphy:

Retro / Old School
to return to old ways (a Confucian aspiration); to turn back the clock; neoclassical school during Tang and Song associated with classical writing 古文; retro (fashion style based on nostalgia, esp. for 1960s)
(n,vs,vt,vi,adj-no) revival; restoration

欧文

see styles
 oubun / obun
    おうぶん
writing in a European language; European text; Roman letters

珠玉

see styles
zhū yù
    zhu1 yu4
chu yü
 tama
    たま

More info & calligraphy:

Gem
pearls and jades; jewels; clever remark; beautiful writing; gems of wisdom; genius; outstanding person
(1) jewel; gem; (noun - becomes adjective with の) (2) (usu. as 珠玉の〜) gem (of a story, essay, etc.); accomplished work; beautiful piece; (female given name) Tama

達文

see styles
 tatsubun
    たつぶん

More info & calligraphy:

Davon
skilled writing; (given name) Tatsubun


see styles

    bi3
pi
 fumi
    ふみ
writing brush; writing implement (pen, pencil etc) (CL:支[zhi1],枝[zhi1]); brushstroke; stroke (in painting or calligraphy); (bound form) style of writing; literary manner; technique of brushwork; (classifier) stroke of a Chinese character; (classifier) sum of money; financial transaction; piece of business; (literary) to write (with a brush or pen)
(1) writing brush; paintbrush; pen; (2) writing with a brush; drawing with a brush; penmanship; something drawn with a brush; (3) (ふで only) writing (composing text); the written word; (counter) (4) (ひつ only) (land) lot; plot; (female given name) Fumi
A pen.

see styles
zhuàn
    zhuan4
chuan
 ten
    てん
seal (of office); seal script (a calligraphic style); the small seal 小篆 and great seal 大篆; writing in seal script
(See 篆書) seal-engraving style (of writing Chinese characters); seal script

八股

see styles
bā gǔ
    ba1 gu3
pa ku
 hakko
    はっこ
an essay in eight parts; stereotyped writing
(abbreviation) (See 八股文) eight-legged essay (classical Chinese style of essay writing)

冗筆


冗笔

see styles
rǒng bǐ
    rong3 bi3
jung pi
 jouhitsu / johitsu
    じょうひつ
superfluous words (in writing); superfluous strokes (in calligraphy)
worthless painting and writing

執筆


执笔

see styles
zhí bǐ
    zhi2 bi3
chih pi
 shippitsu
    しっぴつ
to write; to do the actual writing
(noun, transitive verb) writing; authoring
to write

拙筆


拙笔

see styles
zhuō bǐ
    zhuo1 bi3
cho pi
 seppitsu
    せっぴつ
my clumsy writing (humble expr.); my humble pen
(humble language) poor handwriting; humble reference to one's own handwriting

撰述

see styles
zhuàn shù
    zhuan4 shu4
chuan shu
 senjutsu
    せんじゅつ
to compose (a piece of writing); to write; (written) work; writer
(noun, transitive verb) (dated) writing (a book)

擱筆


搁笔

see styles
gē bǐ
    ge1 bi3
ko pi
 kakuhitsu
    かくひつ
to put down the brush; to stop writing (or painting)
(n,vs,vi) stopping writing

文字

see styles
wén zì
    wen2 zi4
wen tzu
 monji
    もんじ
character; script; writing; written language; writing style; phraseology; CL:個|个[ge4]
(1) letter (of an alphabet); character; (2) writing; (place-name, surname) Monji
The letter; letters; literal; the written word is described as the breath and life of the dharmakāya; cf. 嚕 ruta.

文章

see styles
wén zhāng
    wen2 zhang1
wen chang
 bunshou / bunsho
    ぶんしょう
article; essay; literary works; writings; hidden meaning; CL:篇[pian1],段[duan4],頁|页[ye4]
(1) writing; composition; essay; article; passage; prose; (writing) style; (2) (See 文・ぶん・1) sentence; (given name) Bunshou
texts

文筆


文笔

see styles
wén bǐ
    wen2 bi3
wen pi
 bunpitsu
    ぶんぴつ
writings; writing style
literary art; literary activity; writing
writing

書面


书面

see styles
shū miàn
    shu1 mian4
shu mien
 shomen
    しょめん
in writing; written
(1) document; letter; (2) writing; contents (e.g. of a letter)

板書


板书

see styles
bǎn shū
    ban3 shu1
pan shu
 bansho
    ばんしょ
to write on the blackboard; writing on the blackboard
(noun, transitive verb) (act of) writing on a blackboard

毛筆


毛笔

see styles
máo bǐ
    mao2 bi3
mao pi
 mouhitsu / mohitsu
    もうひつ
writing brush; CL:枝[zhi1],管[guan3]
(writing, painting) brush

竹簡


竹简

see styles
zhú jiǎn
    zhu2 jian3
chu chien
 chikukan
    ちくかん
bamboo slips (used for writing on in ancient times)
bamboo writing strip

筆墨


笔墨

see styles
bǐ mò
    bi3 mo4
pi mo
 hitsuboku
    ひつぼく
pen and ink; words; writing
stationery; pen and ink; writing materials

筆算


笔算

see styles
bǐ suàn
    bi3 suan4
pi suan
 hissan
    ひっさん
to do a sum in writing; written calculation
(noun/participle) (1) calculating on paper; (2) (obsolete) (See 算筆) writing and arithmetic

筆耕


笔耕

see styles
bǐ gēng
    bi3 geng1
pi keng
 hikkou / hikko
    ひっこう
to make a living by writing; to write (as an author)
making a living copying or writing

篇章

see styles
piān zhāng
    pian1 zhang1
p`ien chang
    pien chang
 henshou / hensho
    へんしょう
chapter; section (of a written work); passage of writing; (fig.) chapter (in the history of something)
(1) volumes and chapters; (2) composition; writing

聖典


圣典

see styles
shèng diǎn
    sheng4 dian3
sheng tien
 minori
    みのり
sacred writing; canon
(1) sacred scripture; sacred book; holy book; holy writings; (2) writings of a sage; (female given name) Minori
The sacred canon, or holy classics, the Tripiṭaka.

著作

see styles
zhù zuò
    zhu4 zuo4
chu tso
 chosaku
    ちょさく
to write; literary work; book; article; writings; CL:部[bu4]
(n,vs,vt,vi) writing (a book); book; (literary) work; writings

著述

see styles
zhù shù
    zhu4 shu4
chu shu
 chojutsu
    ちょじゅつ
writing; to write; to compile
(noun, transitive verb) writing; book; (literary) work

行文

see styles
xíng wén
    xing2 wen2
hsing wen
 yukifumi
    ゆきふみ
writing style (formal); to send an official written communication
writing (style); (personal name) Yukifumi

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
 noma; noma
    のま; ノマ
iteration mark indicating repetition of the preceding character in horizontal writing (rare in modern Chinese)
(unc) (See 同の字点) kanji repetition mark

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
iteration mark indicating repetition of the preceding character in vertical writing (rare in modern Chinese)

see styles
 chouon / choon
    ー
(unc) (indicates that the preceding character is pronounced with a long vowel sound; used mainly in katakana writing) (See 長音符・1) long-vowel mark

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "myeon"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "ho"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "hol"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "ye"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
shí
    shi2
shih
 sousaku / sosaku
    そうさく
ten (used in fractions, writing checks etc); assorted; miscellaneous
(1) (See 十・1) 10; ten; (2) (archaism) book containing a collection of poems; (personal name) Sousaku
A file of ten; sundry, what.

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "eo" or "sya"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "keum"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
yòu
    you4
yu
 yuu / yu
    ゆう
(bound form) right; right-hand side; (bound form) (politics) right of center; (bound form) (old) west; (literary) the right side as the side of precedence
(noun - becomes adjective with の) (1) (See 左・1) right; right-hand side; (2) right hand; (noun - becomes adjective with の) (3) the above (in a piece of vertical writing); above-mentioned; (4) the right (wing); rightist; (5) the better (of two); (female given name) Yū
dakṣiṇa. The right hand, on the right, e. g.

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "san"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "pin"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
zhá
    zha2
cha
 fuda
    ふだ
thin piece of wood used a writing tablet (in ancient China); a kind of official document (in former times); letter; note; plague
armor platelet; (place-name) Fuda
slip of wood

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "teul"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
bèi
    bei4
pei
 bai
pattra; 梖多葉 the palm-leaves used for writing; the梖多樹 is erroneously said to be the borassus flabelliformis, described as 60 or 70 feet high, not deciduous, the bark used for writing.

see styles
huàn
    huan4
huan
(of writing, pictures etc) indistinct due to deterioration (water damage etc); blurry; eroded

禿


see styles

    tu1
t`u
    tu
 hage
    はげ
bald (lacking hair or feathers); barren; bare; denuded; blunt (lacking a point); (of a piece of writing) unsatisfactory; lacking something
(1) (hist) children's hairstyle of short untied hair; child with short untied hair; (2) (hist) young girl working as a servant for a high-class prostitute (Edo period); (3) (archaism) baldness; bald head; (surname) Hage
Bald.

see styles

    ce4
ts`e
    tse
 hakaru
    はかる
policy; plan; scheme; bamboo slip for writing (old); to whip (a horse); to encourage; riding crop with sharp spines (old); essay written for the imperial examinations (old); upward horizontal stroke in calligraphy
(n,n-suf) (1) plan; policy; means; measure; stratagem; scheme; (2) (See 永字八法) fifth principle of the Eight Principles of Yong; right upward flick; (male given name) Hakaru
A treatise, book, memo, tablet, card; a plan, scheme; question; whip; etc.

see styles
guǎn
    guan3
kuan
 suge
    すげ
to take care (of); to control; to manage; to be in charge of; to look after; to run; to care about; tube; pipe; woodwind; classifier for tube-shaped objects; particle similar to 把[ba3] in 管...叫 constructions; writing brush; (coll.) to; towards
(1) pipe; tube; (2) bobbin (in a shuttle or spinning wheel); (surname) Suge
A pipe, tube; to rule, control.

see styles
piān
    pian1
p`ien
    pien
 hin
    へん
sheet; piece of writing; bound set of bamboo slips used for record keeping (old); classifier for written items: chapter, article
(n,n-suf) (1) compilation (of a text); editing; (n,n-suf,ctr) (2) volume (of a text); (3) completed literary work
A slip of bamboo, a slip, leaf, page, books.


see styles
líng
    ling2
ling
 rin
    りん
damask; thin silk
(1) (kana only) figure; design; (2) twill weave; pattern of diagonal stripes; (3) (kana only) style (of writing); figure (of speech); (4) (kana only) design; plot; plan; (5) (kana only) minor market fluctuation; technical correction; (6) (kana only) (abbreviation) cat's cradle; (7) (kana only) (abbreviation) lease rod (in a loom); (female given name) Rin


see styles
jiān
    jian1
chien
 kan
    かん
letters; to close; to seal
(1) (See 緘する・かんする・1) seam; seal (e.g. envelope); (2) writing on the seal of an envelope

see styles
xx
    xx5
xx
one of the characters used in kwukyel (phonetic "ra"), an ancient Korean writing system

see styles
hàn
    han4
han
 kan
    かん
writing brush; writing; pen
(given name) Kan


see styles

    ci2
tz`u
    tzu
 kotoba
    ことば
word; statement; speech; lyrics; a form of lyric poetry, flourishing in the Song dynasty 宋朝[Song4 chao2] (CL:首[shou3])
(1) words; writing; lyrics; (2) (See 填詞) ci (form of Chinese poetry); (3) (See 辞・3) independent word; (female given name) Kotoba
An expression, phrase, word.


see styles
diào
    diao4
tiao
 hitoshi
    ひとし
to fish with a hook and line; to angle
(1) fishing; angling; (2) (kana only) (abbreviation) change (e.g. for a purchase); (noun/participle) (3) (slang) trolling; writing false posts online; (s,m) Hitoshi
To angle, fish.


see styles
sòng
    song4
sung
 homeru
    ほめる
ode; eulogy; to praise in writing; to wish (in letters)
{Buddh} (See 偈) gatha (poetic verse of a scripture); (personal name) Homeru
Extol, praise. gāthā, hymns, songs, verses, stanzas, the metrical part of a sūtra; cf. 伽陀.

一筆

see styles
 hitofude
    ひとふで
(1) one stroke (of a brush); (2) a few lines (of writing); note; short letter; (dropping) a line; (3) writing in one go (without stopping to apply more ink to the brush); (4) parcel (of land); (5) (いっぴつ only) same handwriting; (surname) Hitofude

下敷

see styles
 shimoshiki
    しもしき
(1) desk pad; sheet of plastic (or cardboard, felt, etc.) placed under writing paper; underlay; (2) being pinned under; being caught under; being trapped under; being buried under; being crushed beneath; (3) model; pattern; (surname) Shimoshiki

下行

see styles
xià xíng
    xia4 xing2
hsia hsing
 kakou / kako
    かこう
(of trains) down (i.e. away from the capital); (of river boats) to travel downstream; to issue (a document) to lower bureaucratic levels; (of writing on the page) vertical, proceeding from top to bottom
(noun or adjectival noun) descending

不文

see styles
 fubun
    ふぶん
(can be adjective with の) (1) unwritten; (can be adjective with の) (2) illiterate; uneducated; (3) poor writing

与式

see styles
 yoshiki
    よしき
{math} (used in mathematics to avoid writing out the original equation again in full) the assigned equation; (given name) Yoshiki

主文

see styles
 shubun
    しゅぶん
(1) main clause; main part (of a piece of writing); (2) text (of a judicial decision)

乱文

see styles
 ranbun
    らんぶん
(See 拙文,乱筆,乱筆乱文) poor writing; bad writing; rambling prose

乱筆

see styles
 ranpitsu
    らんぴつ
hasty writing; scribble

五体

see styles
 gotai
    ごたい
(1) the whole body; (2) the five styles of writing Chinese characters; (3) (orig. meaning) the five parts of the body (head, two hands and two feet; or head, neck, chest, hands and feet)

今文

see styles
jīn wén
    jin1 wen2
chin wen
 konmon
present-day writing

仏文

see styles
 futsubun
    ふつぶん
French; French writing; French literature

他筆

see styles
 tahitsu
    たひつ
someone else writing; someone else's writing

代作

see styles
 daisaku
    だいさく
(noun, transitive verb) ghost-writing; (personal name) Daisaku

代筆


代笔

see styles
dài bǐ
    dai4 bi3
tai pi
 daihitsu
    だいひつ
to write on behalf of sb; to ghostwrite
(noun, transitive verb) writing on someone's behalf

仿紙


仿纸

see styles
fǎng zhǐ
    fang3 zhi3
fang chih
copying paper (with printed model characters and blank squares for writing practice)

伏案

see styles
fú àn
    fu2 an4
fu an
to bend over one's desk (writing, studying, taking a nap etc)

伏羲

see styles
fú xī
    fu2 xi1
fu hsi
 fukugi
    ふくぎ
Fuxi, legendary Chinese emperor, trad. 2852–2738 BC, mythical creator of fishing, trapping and writing
(myth) Fuxi (first mythical emperor of China); Fu Hsi

休筆

see styles
 kyuuhitsu / kyuhitsu
    きゅうひつ
(noun/participle) taking a break from writing

佉樓


佉楼

see styles
qiā lóu
    qia1 lou2
ch`ia lou
    chia lou
 Kyaru
佉慮 (佉慮風吒); 佉路瑟吒 Kharoṣṭhi, tr. by "Ass's lips"; name of an ancient ṛṣi, perhaps Jyotīrasa. Also, "the writing of all the northerners," said to have been introduced by him, consisting of seventy-two characters.

作例

see styles
 sakurei / sakure
    さくれい
(1) model of writing; example of writing; (2) (See 例文) example sentence (in a dictionary); illustrative sentence

作成

see styles
zuò chéng
    zuo4 cheng2
tso ch`eng
    tso cheng
 narishige
    なりしげ
(noun, transitive verb) making (a report, plan, contract, etc.); drawing up; writing out; preparing; creating (a file, website, account, etc.); (given name) Narishige
formation

作文

see styles
zuò wén
    zuo4 wen2
tso wen
 sakumon
    さくもん
to write an essay; composition (student essay); CL:篇[pian1]
(archaism) (See 作文・1) writing (poetry); composing

作曲

see styles
zuò qǔ
    zuo4 qu3
tso ch`ü
    tso chü
 sakkyoku
    さっきょく
to compose (music)
(n,vs,vt,vi) composition (of music); setting; writing music

作歌

see styles
 sakka
    さっか
(n,vs,vt,vi) writing songs or poems; poem

作詞

see styles
 sakushi
    さくし
(n,vs,vt,vi) (writing) song lyrics

佳作

see styles
jiā zuò
    jia1 zuo4
chia tso
 yoshisaku
    よしさく
masterpiece; fine piece of writing
(1) fine (piece of) work; excellent work; (2) work that receives an honourable mention; (personal name) Yoshisaku

併記

see styles
 heiki / heki
    へいき
(n,vs,vt,adj-no) writing side by side

便箋


便笺

see styles
biàn jiān
    bian4 jian1
pien chien
 binsen
    びんせん
a note; a memo; notepaper; memo pad
writing paper; stationery

俗文

see styles
 zokubun
    ぞくぶん
(1) (piece of) writing in colloquial style; (2) vulgar writing

信紙


信纸

see styles
xìn zhǐ
    xin4 zhi3
hsin chih
letter paper; writing paper

倉頡


仓颉

see styles
cāng jié
    cang1 jie2
ts`ang chieh
    tsang chieh
 souketsu / soketsu
    そうけつ
Cang Jie, legendary scribe of the Yellow Emperor and inventor of Chinese writing; (computing) Cangjie input method
(abbreviation) {comp} (See 倉頡輸入法) Cangjie (input method for Chinese); (person) Cangjie (c. 2667-2596 BCE; supposed inventor of Chinese characters)

倒寫


倒写

see styles
dào xiě
    dao4 xie3
tao hsieh
mirror writing; upside down writing

傳載


传载

see styles
chuán zǎi
    chuan2 zai3
ch`uan tsai
    chuan tsai
to reprint; to repost; to transmit (in writing etc)

僻書

see styles
 hekisho
    へきしょ
biased writing; biassed writing

六体

see styles
 rottai
    ろったい
the six historical styles of writing kanji: large seal, small seal, clerical, triangular-swept clerical, running, and cursive; (place-name) Rottai

六書


六书

see styles
liù shū
    liu4 shu1
liu shu
 rikusho; rokusho
    りくしょ; ろくしょ
Six Methods of forming Chinese characters, according to Han dictionary Shuowen 說文|说文 - namely, two primary methods: 象形 (pictogram), 指事 (ideogram), two compound methods: 會意|会意 (combined ideogram), 形聲|形声 (ideogram plus phonetic), and two transfer methods: 假借 (loan), 轉注|转注 (transfer)
(1) (See 象形・2,指事,会意,形声,転注,仮借・3) the six classes of Chinese characters; (2) (See 六体) the six historical styles of writing Chinese characters; (3) (ろくしょ only) Hexateuch (first six books of the Hebrew Bible)

冒題


冒题

see styles
mào tí
    mao4 ti2
mao t`i
    mao ti
writing style in which the main subject is not introduced initially (opposite: 破題|破题[po4 ti2])

冗散

see styles
rǒng sǎn
    rong3 san3
jung san
(literary) idle; unemployed; (literary) (of writing) leisurely and verbose

冗長


冗长

see styles
rǒng cháng
    rong3 chang2
jung ch`ang
    jung chang
 jouchou / jocho
    じょうちょう
long and tedious; redundant; superfluous; supernumerary; verbose (of writing)
(noun or adjectival noun) (1) tedious; verbose; wordy; lengthy; longwinded; prolix; (noun or adjectival noun) (2) redundancy

Entries with 2nd row of characters: The 2nd row is Simplified Chinese.

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This page contains 100 results for "Writing" in Chinese and/or Japanese.



Information about this dictionary:

Apparently, we were the first ones who were crazy enough to think that western people might want a combined Chinese, Japanese, and Buddhist dictionary.

A lot of westerners can't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese - and there is a reason for that. Chinese characters and even whole words were borrowed by Japan from the Chinese language in the 5th century. Much of the time, if a word or character is used in both languages, it will have the same or a similar meaning. However, this is not always true. Language evolves, and meanings independently change in each language.

Example: The Chinese character 湯 for soup (hot water) has come to mean bath (hot water) in Japanese. They have the same root meaning of "hot water", but a 湯屋 sign on a bathhouse in Japan would lead a Chinese person to think it was a "soup house" or a place to get a bowl of soup. See this: Japanese Bath House

This dictionary uses the EDICT and CC-CEDICT dictionary files.
EDICT data is the property of the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, and is used in conformance with the Group's license.

Chinese Buddhist terms come from Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms by William Edward Soothill and Lewis Hodous. This is commonly referred to as "Soothill's'". It was first published in 1937 (and is now off copyright so we can use it here). Some of these definitions may be misleading, incomplete, or dated, but 95% of it is good information. Every professor who teaches Buddhism or Eastern Religion has a copy of this on their bookshelf. We incorporated these 16,850 entries into our dictionary database ourselves (it was lot of work).



Combined, these cover 1,007,753 Japanese, Chinese, and Buddhist characters, words, idioms, names, placenames, and short phrases.

Just because a word appears here does not mean it is appropriate for a tattoo, your business name, etc. Please consult a professional before doing anything stupid with this data.

We do offer Chinese and Japanese Tattoo Services. We'll also be happy to help you translate something for other purposes.

No warranty as to the correctness, potential vulgarity, or clarity is expressed or implied. We did not write any of these definitions (though we occasionally act as a contributor/editor to the CC-CEDICT project). You are using this dictionary for free, and you get what you pay for.

The following titles are just to help people who are searching for an Asian dictionary to find this page.

Japanese Kanji Dictionary

Free Asian Dictionary

Chinese Kanji Dictionary

Chinese Words Dictionary

Chinese Language Dictionary

Japanese Chinese Dictionary