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1. Qian
2. Chito-Ryu
3. Clairvoyance
4. One Day Seems Like 1000 Years
5. Even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea
6. Senju Kannon
7. Time is Gold
8. A Journey of 1000 Miles Feels Like One
9. Diversity
10. Brought Together from 1000 Miles Away by Fate
11. A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step
12. Maintain An Army For 1000 Days, Use It For An Hour
13. A House Might be Worth 1 Million Dollars, But Good Neighbors are Worth 10 Million
14. A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step
韆 can be a Chinese surname, Qian.
The meaning of this character can be thousand, a large quantity, or a swing.
千唐流 (Chitō-Ryū, Chito-Ryu, or Chitoryu) is a style of karate founded by Tsuyoshi Chitose.
Here's the meaning of each character of the title:
千 = 1000
唐 = China (literally Tang, as in Tang Dynasty).
流 = Style or School.
Together, Chito-Ryu means “1,000 [year old] Chinese style.”
I will leave it up to you whether this is of Japanese or Okinawan style. The title certainly suggests roots traced back to China.
一日千秋 is a Japanese and Chinese proverb about missing someone.
一日千秋 is often used to express how hard it is to wait for someone's return or to be away from someone.
Some will translate this as “one day feels like a very long time” or “waiting for someone (something) is hard.”
You might see this romanized as a single word, Ichijitsusenshuu, or as “Ichijitsu Senshuu” from Japanese.
If you break down the characters one-by-one, we get:
一 = one/a
日 = day/sun (can also represent time or date)
千 = 1000/thousand
秋 = autumn/fall
Together, 千秋 can mean “autumn comes thousand times” (or 1000 years). It can also be read as 1000 periods of time.
However, it relays the idea of heartache as you wait for someone you miss.
千慮一得 means “1000 tries, one success,” or “[a] thousand tries [leads to] one success.”
This proverb is a humble way to express your success, ideas, or accomplishments. As if you are a fool who just got lucky in inventing or creating something.
Translations for this proverb include:
Even without any notable ability on my part, I may still get it right sometimes by good luck.
Even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea.
Compare this to the English idiom, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
千里も一里 is a Japanese proverb that states “A journey of a thousand miles feels like only one mile.” It is understood that in the proverb, this applies when going to see the one you love.
Note that the “mile” or 里 used in this proverb is an old Chinese “li” (pronounced “ri” in Japanese). It's not actually a mile, as the measurement is really closer to 500 meters (it would take 3 of these to get close to a western mile). Still, 1000里 (333 miles) is a long way.
千差萬別 is used to describe “manifold diversity.”
It literally means “A thousand differences and ten thousand distinctions.”
Other translations include an infinite variety of; multifarious; being extremely varied and wide-ranging.
The third character is written differently in Japanese, so if you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher it will look like 千差万別 instead of 千差萬別.
有緣千里來相會 means that fate or destiny has caused us to meet from a thousand miles away.
The 有緣 part suggests something that is connected as if by a thread due to fate, destiny, or karma.
This romantic phrase is seen in Chinese greeting cards. It relays the idea that your love was meant to be and that you were destined to meet (regardless of what distance or obstacles might have made such a meeting unlikely).
Nothing could be more true. When I was in the Marine Corps, we trained for years for combat that often lasts only hours.
養兵千日用兵一時 is a Chinese proverb that, also reminds me of a common phrase used in the military to describe combat: “Weeks of total boredom, punctuated with five minutes of sheer terror.”
This may have some roots in Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Though I can not find this passage in his writings.
On the subject of the Art of War, if you have a favorite passage, we can create a custom calligraphy scroll with that phrase.
百万买宅千万买邻 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as:
[It may cost a] million to buy a house, [but] ten million to find [good] neighbors.
Figuratively, this means:
Good neighbors are hard to find.
Good neighbors are even more important than the quality of one's house.
senri no michi mo ippo kara
千里の道も一歩から is the Japanese version of an ancient Chinese proverb that means “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Some will also translate this as a 1000-mile road starts with one brick (a small amount).
In this case, the real measurement is an ancient Chinese “li” or 里, which is romanized as “ri” in Japanese. It's about half a kilometer, so three 里 would be a western mile. A journey of 333 miles begins with a single step, just doesn't sound as natural.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
不怕千招会只怕一招熟 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: Do not worry about making a thousand clever moves; what [one has to] fear is one bad move.
Figuratively, this means: Even if you have made many clever moves before, one wrong move will ruin the whole game.
I compare this to the English saying, “It takes only one Aw-shit to wipe out a thousand Attaboys.”
在家千日好出门一时难 is a Chinese proverb that literally means “At home, one can spend a thousand days in comfort but spending a day away from home can be challenging.”
Figuratively, this means “There's no place like home,” or roughly a Chinese version of “Home sweet home.”
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 千 search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
千 see styles |
qiān qian1 ch`ien chien yuki ゆき |
More info & calligraphy: Qian(numeric) 1,000; thousand; (female given name) Yuki sahasra. A thousand. |
韆 千 see styles |
qiān qian1 ch`ien chien |
More info & calligraphy: QianSee: 千 |
千里眼 see styles |
qiān lǐ yǎn qian1 li3 yan3 ch`ien li yen chien li yen senrigan せんりがん |
More info & calligraphy: Clairvoyance(1) clairvoyance; second sight; (2) clairvoyant clairvoyance |
一刻千金 see styles |
yī kè - qiān jīn yi1 ke4 - qian1 jin1 i k`o - ch`ien chin i ko - chien chin ikkokusenkin いっこくせんきん |
More info & calligraphy: Time is Gold(expression) (yoji) every moment is precious; time is money; precious time |
一日千秋 see styles |
ichijitsusenshuu; ichinichisenshuu / ichijitsusenshu; ichinichisenshu いちじつせんしゅう; いちにちせんしゅう |
More info & calligraphy: One Day Seems Like 1000 Years |
千差萬別 千差万别 see styles |
qiān chā wàn bié qian1 cha1 wan4 bie2 ch`ien ch`a wan pieh chien cha wan pieh sensha manbetsu |
More info & calligraphy: Diversitya thousand differences and ten thousand distinctions |
千慮一得 千虑一得 see styles |
qiān lǜ yī dé qian1 lu:4 yi1 de2 ch`ien lü i te chien lü i te senryoittoku; senryonoittoku せんりょいっとく; せんりょのいっとく |
More info & calligraphy: Even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea(expression) (yoji) even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea |
千手観音 see styles |
senjukannon せんじゅかんのん |
More info & calligraphy: Senju Kannon |
千里も一里 see styles |
senrimoichiri せんりもいちり |
More info & calligraphy: A Journey of 1000 Miles Feels Like One |
千里の道も一歩から see styles |
senrinomichimoippokara せんりのみちもいっぽから |
More info & calligraphy: A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step |
一千 see styles |
yī qiān yi1 qian1 i ch`ien i chien ichikazu いちかず |
1,000; one thousand; (personal name) Ichikazu sahasra; a thousand. |
万千 see styles |
machi まち |
tremendous number; (female given name) Machi |
三千 see styles |
sān qiān san1 qian1 san ch`ien san chien michi みち |
(1) 3000; (2) many; (female given name) Michi trisahasra, three thousand; a term used by the Tiantai School for 一切諸法, i. e. all things, everything in a chiliocosm, or Buddhaworld; v. 三千大千世界. |
中千 see styles |
zhōng qiān zhong1 qian1 chung ch`ien chung chien chūsen |
medium length chiliocosm |
二千 see styles |
èr qiān er4 qian1 erh ch`ien erh chien nichi にち |
(personal name) Nichi two thousand |
佐千 see styles |
sachi さち |
(female given name) Sachi |
何千 see styles |
nanzen なんぜん |
many thousands |
佳千 see styles |
yoshiyuki よしゆき |
(given name) Yoshiyuki |
優千 see styles |
yuuchi / yuchi ゆうち |
(female given name) Yūchi |
八千 see styles |
yachi やち |
(1) 8000; (2) many; (surname) Yachi |
公千 see styles |
masayuki まさゆき |
(given name) Masayuki |
六千 see styles |
liù qiān liu4 qian1 liu ch`ien liu chien rokusen |
six thousand |
凱千 see styles |
yoshiyuki よしゆき |
(given name) Yoshiyuki |
出千 see styles |
chū qiān chu1 qian1 ch`u ch`ien chu chien |
see 出老千[chu1 lao3 qian1] |
刀千 see styles |
tousen / tosen とうせん |
(personal name) Tousen |
勝千 see styles |
yoshiyuki よしゆき |
(given name) Yoshiyuki |
十千 see styles |
shí qiān shi2 qian1 shih ch`ien shih chien jūsen |
ten thousand |
千々 see styles |
chiji ちじ |
(noun or adjectival noun) thousands; great number of; variety; (surname) Chiji |
千か see styles |
chika ちか |
(female given name) Chika |
千ケ see styles |
chigasaki ちがさき |
(surname) Chigasaki |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Qian | 韆 千 | qiān / qian1 / qian | ch`ien / chien | |
Chito-Ryu | 千唐流 | chi tou ryuu chitouryuu chi to ryu | ||
Clairvoyance | 千里眼 | sen ri gan / senrigan | qiān lǐ yǎn qian1 li3 yan3 qian li yan qianliyan | ch`ien li yen chienliyen chien li yen |
One Day Seems Like 1000 Years | 一日千秋 | ichi jitsu sen shuu ichijitsusenshuu ichi jitsu sen shu | yí rì qiān qiū yi2 ri4 qian1 qiu1 yi ri qian qiu yiriqianqiu | i jih ch`ien ch`iu ijihchienchiu i jih chien chiu |
Even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea | 千慮一得 千虑一得 | senryonoittoku | qiān lǜ yī dé qian1 lv4 yi1 de2 qian lv yi de qianlvyide | ch`ien lü i te chienlüite chien lü i te |
Senju Kannon | 千手観音 | senju kannon senjukannon | ||
Time is Gold | 一刻千金 | ikko ku sen kin ikkokusenkin iko ku sen kin | yī kè qiān jīn yi1 ke4 qian1 jin1 yi ke qian jin yikeqianjin | i k`o ch`ien chin ikochienchin i ko chien chin |
A Journey of 1000 Miles Feels Like One | 千里も一里 | sen ri mo ichi ri senrimoichiri | ||
Diversity | 千差萬別 千差万别 / 千差万別 | sen sa man betsu sensamanbetsu | qiān chā wàn bié qian1 cha1 wan4 bie2 qian cha wan bie qianchawanbie | ch`ien ch`a wan pieh chienchawanpieh chien cha wan pieh |
Brought Together from 1000 Miles Away by Fate | 有緣千里來相會 有缘千里来相会 | yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì you3 yuan2 qian1 li3 lai2 xiang1 hui4 you yuan qian li lai xiang hui youyuanqianlilaixianghui | yu yüan ch`ien li lai hsiang hui yu yüan chien li lai hsiang hui |
|
A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step | 千里之行始於足下 千里之行始于足下 | qiān lǐ zhī xíng shǐ yú zú xià qian1 li3 zhi1 xing2 shi3 yu2 zu2 xia4 qian li zhi xing shi yu zu xia qianlizhixingshiyuzuxia | ch`ien li chih hsing shih yü tsu hsia chien li chih hsing shih yü tsu hsia |
|
Maintain An Army For 1000 Days, Use It For An Hour | 養兵千日用兵一時 养兵千日用兵一时 | yǎng bīng qiān rì, yàng bīng yì shí yang3 bing1 qian1 ri4 yang4 bing1 yi4 shi2 yang bing qian ri yang bing yi shi | yang ping ch`ien jih yang ping i shih yang ping chien jih yang ping i shih |
|
A House Might be Worth 1 Million Dollars, But Good Neighbors are Worth 10 Million | 百萬買宅千萬買鄰 百万买宅千万买邻 | bǎi wàn mǎi zhái qiān wàn mǎi lín bai3 wan4 mai3 zhai2 qian1 wan4 mai3 lin2 bai wan mai zhai qian wan mai lin | pai wan mai chai ch`ien wan mai lin pai wan mai chai chien wan mai lin |
|
A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step | 千里の道も一歩から | sen ri no michi mo i-ppo ka ra senrinomichimoi-ppokara sen ri no michi mo i-po ka ra | ||
1000 good moves ruined by 1 bad | 不怕千招會隻怕一招熟 不怕千招会只怕一招熟 | bú pà qiān zhāo huì zhǐ pà yī zhāo shú bu2 pa4 qian1 zhao1 hui4 zhi3 pa4 yi1 zhao1 shu2 bu pa qian zhao hui zhi pa yi zhao shu | pu p`a ch`ien chao hui chih p`a i chao shu pu pa chien chao hui chih pa i chao shu |
|
No Place Like Home | 在家千日好出門一時難 在家千日好出门一时难 | zài jiā qiān rì hǎo chū mén yì shí nán zai4 jia1 qian1 ri4 hao3 chu1 men2 yi4 shi2 nan2 zai jia qian ri hao chu men yi shi nan | tsai chia ch`ien jih hao ch`u men i shih nan tsai chia chien jih hao chu men i shih nan |
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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.