Warrior in Chinese / Japanese...

The first character is the spirit or essence of a warrior. The second character means soldier, officer, or official. 武士 is also used appropriately enough to describe a piece of a chess game. This can also be translated as soldier, cavalier, palace guard, or samurai and sometimes as knight. I've occasionally seen this translated as strong man or tough man (gender not necessarily implied).

By far, this 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.

See Also:  Knight | Army | Marines | Samurai

鬼武者 is an unusual title that can be translated two ways, daredevil warrior or demon warrior.

The most common is probably the daredevil warrior. However, the first character means demon, ghost, or soul of the departed. Therefore, it can kind of mean soul of a warrior, or a demon warrior.

This title is Japanese only, and should not be used if your audience is Chinese.

靜武士 is the shortest way to write "Quiet Warrior" or "Tranquil Warrior" in Chinese.

See Also:  Peaceful Warrior

靜謐武士 means "Quiet Warrior" in Chinese.

靜謐 means quiet or tranquil.
武士 means warrior or soldier.

See Also:  Peaceful Warrior

和平武士 means "Warrior for Peace" (warrior who fights for peace) in Chinese.

Note, this is not the same thing as "peaceful warrior".

See Also:  Peace

This can be translated as the spirit or soul of a warrior. The first two characters can be translated as vigor, vitality, drive, spirit, mind, heart, mental essence and psychological component. Basically "your soul".

The second two characters mean "warrior" or literally "brave soldier/man" although some will translate this word as "hero". Therefore, this is also how to say "soul of a hero".

Note: This title is best for Chinese and old Korean. It does make sense in Japanese but is not a common or natural Kanji combination in Japanese.

We have two versions of this phrase. The only difference is the first two and last two characters are swapped. The version here suggests that you are the warrior or hero. The other version suggests that you admire or like the idea of the spirit of a warrior.

戦士 is an alternate title for warrior, soldier, fighter, warrior, guardian, or combatant in Japanese.

From Japanese, this is often romanized as "Senshi".

See Also:  Knight | Army | Marines | Samurai

This can be translated as the warrior's spirit or warrior's soul. The first two characters can be translated as "warrior" or literally "brave soldier/man" although some will translate this word as "hero". Therefore, this is also how to say "heroic spirit".

The second two characters mean vigor, vitality, drive, spirit, mind, heart, mental essence and psychological component. Basically "your soul".

We have two versions of this phrase. The only difference is the first two and last two characters are swapped. The version here suggests that you admire or like the idea of the spirit of a warrior. The other version suggests that you are the warrior or hero.

天力士 means "Heavenly Warrior", or "Hero of Heaven", in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese.

Often used in a Buddhist context.

武者 is an alternate title for a warrior or samurai in Japanese. It is often romanized as "Musha".

The literal meaning of these Kanji is "war person", "military person", or "martial person".

勇士 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for brave warrior, a brave person, hero, or brave man.

In Japanese, this can be a given name, Yuuji.

天界力士 means "warrior of the heavenly realm" in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.

天界力士 is also known as Narayana in Buddhism.

戦士魂 is "warrior soul" or "warrior spirit" in Japanese.

Here's the breakdown of the Kanji:

戦士 (senshi) warrior; soldier; combatant; fighter.

魂 (damashii/tamashii) soul; spirit; can sometimes mean "ghost".

This literally means: [Just as] warriors [are valued for their] quality and not [just] for quantity, [so] generals [are valued] for their tactics, not [just] for [their] bravery.

兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 is a proverb that follows one about how it is better to have warriors of quality, rather than just a large quantity of warriors in your army/force.

See Also:  兵在精而不在多

This Chinese title, Wusheng means, Saint of War.

武聖 is usually a reference to Guan Yu (關羽), also known as Guan Gong (關公).

Some Chinese soldiers still pray to Wusheng for protection. They would especially do this before going into battle.

武 is the essence or spirit of a warrior. 武 is part of the word "wu shu" which is sometimes translated as "martial arts" or "kung fu".

In more modern speech and other context, this can mean military, martial, warlike, fierce, and perhaps violent but usually as a prefix for a longer word or phrase.

This title means, "Warrior Within" from the Chinese video game title, "Prince of Persia: Warrior Within".

This more literally means "warrior or the heart", or "warrior of the soul/mind".

龍武士 is a generic title for "Dragon Warrior".

Just as in English, it's a bit ambiguous. It can mean one who fights against dragons, or the title of a warrior himself (imagine a warrior with a dragon symbol on his chest).

靜寂な戦士 means, "silent warrior" or "quiet warrior", in Japanese.

This can be read as "Peaceful Warrior" or "Warrior for Peace" in Japanese. This sounds like an oxymoron in Japanese, so it's a weird title. Expect Japanese people to be perplexed when they see it.

Character breakdown:
平和 (heiwa) peace; harmony.
の (no) possessive particle.
武士 (bushi) warrior; samurai; soldier.

平和的武士 means "Peaceful Warrior" in Chinese. This does in fact sound like an oxymoron in Chinese - but many of you have asked for this special title.

Note, this is not the same thing as "warrior for peace".

See Also:  Peace

龍戰士 is another version of "Dragon Warrior".

It's still a bit ambiguous. This one reads more like "Dragon Fighter" than "Dragon Warrior". Perhaps you can also translate this one as, "One who fights like a dragon".

沉默的武士 is a way to write "silent warrior" in Chinese.

The first two characters mean "silent".

The middle character is a connecting or possessive particle.

The last two characters mean "warrior".

覺醒武士 is not a commonly used title in Chinese but sometimes used in Martial arts and military context to refer to a warrior who seems to always be fully aware, enlightened, knowledgeable, noble, and just.

The first two characters are a word that means: to awaken; to come to realize; awakened to the truth; the truth dawns upon one; scales fall from the eyes; to become aware.

The last two characters mean warrior but can also refer to a samurai, soldier, or fighter.

聖戦士 means, "Holy Warrior", in Japanese.

中の戦士 means "The Warrior Within" in Japanese.

靜かな戦士 means "Quiet Warrior" in Japanese.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

影武者 is the title for Shadow Warrior in Chinese and Japanese.

This may refer to a few video games that share this English title, or a Japanese moved called Kagemusha.

If you are looking for the Japanese TV show, that was originally 影の軍団 (Kage no Gundan) which more literally means "Army of Shadows", but was re-titled Shadow Warrior when released outside Japan in English.

In Japan, this title can also refer to a body double or decoy of an army general or leader used to avoid assassination. It can also be somebody who does all the work (or fighting) behind the scenes (not getting much if any credit).

This "Dragon Warrior" is specifically one who fights against dragons.

This can also be read as "Dragon Fighter".

幽靈戰士 means Ghost Warrior or Ghost Soldier in Chinese.

This title is used for at least one movie, and a video game (about a sniper).

武士の一言金鉄の如し is an old Japanese proverb about the value of the word of a warrior.

Here's a couple versions of how this can be translated:

A warrior's single word is as unchanging and reliable as gold and steel.
A warrior's promise is as dependable as gold, and his [scabbard contains] untarnished steel (a sword).

Note: Sometimes this phrase is written as 男子の一言、金鉄の如し (danshi no ichigon kintetsu no gotoshi)

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

霊戦士 is a Japanese title that means, "Spiritual Warrior".

The first Kanji means spiritual.

The second Kanji means war, warfare, or battle.

The third Kanji means soldier, officer, man or pawn.

This Chinese title, Guan Gong means, Lord Guan (The warrior saint of ancient China).

While his real name was Guan Yu / 關羽, he is commonly known by this title of Guan Gong / 關公.

Some Chinese soldiers still pray to Guan Gong for protection. They would especially do this before going into battle. Statues of Guan Gong are seen throughout China.

藩士 is a strange title for a wall scroll but it may suit you if you see yourself as a warrior monk.

This title is not commonly used but will be understood in both Chinese and Japanese. It can also be read as "armed monks".

神の兵士 means, "Warrior of God" or "Soldier of God" in Japanese.

武士心 means "Warrior Heart".

武士心 is more a Japanese title than Chinese but it is understood in both languages.

In feudal Japan, ninja or shinobi (literally, "one who is concealed" or "one that endures") were sometimes assassins and agents of espionage. The ninja, like samurai, followed their own special code of conduct.

The role of the ninja has been romanticized in many American movies (and to a lesser extent in Japanese movies). Because the ninja-craze has taken off in the west, Japan has followed the trend and you'll see plenty of ninja-related imagery in Japan.

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 that form. Our Chinese calligraphers can also write it in the Japanese form but only if you request it (in the special instructions about your order during checkout).

See Also:  Samurai | Warrior | Ninjitsu

武士道 is the title for "The Code of the Samurai".

Sometimes called "The Seven Virtues of the Samurai", "The Bushido Code", or "The Samurai Code of Chivalry".

This would be read in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja as "The Way of the Warrior", "The Warrior's Way", or "The Warrior's Code".

It's a set of virtues that the Samurai of Japan and ancient warriors of China and Korea had to live and die by. However, while known throughout Asia, this title is mostly used in Japan and thought of as being of Japanese origin.

The seven commonly-accepted tenets or virtues of Bushido are: Rectitude 義, Courage 勇, Benevolence 仁, Respect 礼(禮), Honour 名誉, Honesty 誠, and Loyalty 忠実. These tenets were part of an oral history for generations, thus, you will see variations in the list Bushido tenets depending on who you talk to.

See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here

See Also:  Samurai | Warrior

米海兵隊 is the Japanese way to write "United States Marine Corps" or simply "U.S. Marines".

Breaking down each Kanji, this means:
"rice (American) ocean/sea soldiers/army/military corps/regiment/group".

This title will only make sense in Japanese, it is not the same in Chinese! Make sure you know your audience before ordering a custom wall scroll.

If you are wondering about the rice, America is known as "rice country" or "rice kingdom" when literally translated. The Kanji for rice is often used as an abbreviation in front of words (like a sub-adjective) to make something "American". Americans say "rice-burner" for a Japanese car, and "rice-rocket" for a Japanese motorcycle. If you did the same in Japanese, it would be exactly the opposite meaning.

Note: I have not verified this but I’ve found this title used for U.S. Marines in Korean articles, so it’s most likely a normal Korean term as well (but only in Korean Hanja).

See Also:  Marine Corps | Navy | Army | Art of War | Warrior | Military

This way to express "Marine" as in an individual "Soldier of the Sea" in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja characters (not to be confused with Korean Hangul).

Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea soldier/army/warrior".

Please note that this Japanese/Korean version kind of means "sailor" or "navy" in Chinese.

See Also:  Military

The Ronin have no master - The most famous are the 47 ronin created after their Lord committed suicide. This term was not exactly a positive title for the Samurai of ancient Japan. However, in recent years, movies and video games have glorified the term Ronin.

In Chinese, this term has the original meaning of a hobo, vagabond or ruffian.
In Korean Hanja, these characters would be read as adventurer, wanderer, someone without a steady job, or someone who is wasting away time.

In modern Japan, this term is used as a nickname for a high school student who has failed a college entry exam (and is trying again).

In Chinese and Korean, the Japanese definition of "Masterless Samurai" is known because of the historical context, even in Japanese, the literal translation is closer to the Chinese and Korean definitions shown above.

This will make a fine wall scroll if you are a fan of the Ronin, or see yourself as a Ronin of sorts. However, please think twice before getting a Ronin tattoo!

In the west, when someone mentions "Shogun" we may be filled with thoughts of gallant warriors. Some might even think of the TV mini-series with Richard Chamberlain. Often westerners use the words Samurai and Shogun interchangeably. So I will clear it up really quickly...

Shogun in the simplest definition is a General. You could also use words such as commander, lord, overlord, highest ranking, or commanding officer, since "Shogun" has held some slightly ambiguous meanings at times in Japanese history.

Sometimes a Shogun was a general, other times he was the leader of a military government in Japan.

Variants of the same characters are used in China for the rank and title of a General of the People's Liberation Army (and the same term and characters have been used for the last 2200 years since the Qin Dynasty).

海兵隊 is the Japanese and Korean way to express "Marine Corps" or simply "Marines". It is not specific, so this can be the Marine Corps of any country, such as the British Royal Marines to the U.S. Marines.

Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea soldiers/army corps/regiment/group".

See Also:  Military

There is a slight variation in the way the first character is written. 將軍 is the more Chinese and Korean Hanja version.

So if you want to specifically refer to a Chinese or Korean General, this is the way. Japanese people would still easily identify this as "shogun".

Note: This term is also used for Admiral in Korean in a certain context (if you need a better title for Admiral, just let me know).

海軍陸戰隊 is the Chinese way to express "Marine Corps". This could be the Marine Corps of virtually any country that has an amphibious military force.

Let me know you want a more specific title such as British Royal Marines or U.S. Marine Corps.

The Chinese title for Marines is very verbose...
Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea military/arms shore/land fighting/war/battle corps/team/group".

See Also:  Military

In Japanese, 侍 represents the warriors that attempted to hold peace when there was no Emperor in Japan.

Be cautious though, as it is an old way to express "servant" or "waiter" in Chinese and Korean. Of course, if you are a samurai, you are a servant to your Shogun-ate, Lord, or the people (which is the root meaning).

See Also:  Warrior

兵 can be used to express soldiers, troops, a force, an army, weapons, arms, military, warfare, tactics, strategy, or warlike.

The final meaning depends on context. It's also part of the Chinese title for the Terracotta soldiers. In fact, this character is usually used in compound words (words of more than one character). Sometimes this single character is the title used for the pawns in a chess game (in a related issue, this is also a nickname for soldiers with the rank of Private).

See Also:  Military | Warrior

The first character has the element of "horse" in it, and alone can mean "one who rides".

Together, these characters can be translated as "riding soldier" or "horseman soldier", which of course can also be translated as "knight".

Can also be translated as "cavalier."

See Also:  Warrior | Horse

孫子兵法 is the full title of the most famous book of military proverbs about warfare.

The English title is "Sun Tzu's The Art of War".

The last two characters have come to be known in the west as "The Art of War" but a better translation would be, "military strategy and tactics", "military skills" or "army procedures".

Note: Sometimes the author's name is Romanized as "Sun Zi" or "Sunzi".

It's written the same in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.

See Also:  Military | Warrior

This is the Chinese way to express "Marine". (as in a member of the Marine Corps). It is not country-specific, so it could be the Royal Marines, U.S. Marines, Chinese Marines, etc.
In Australian English, they would translate this as "Naval Infantryman".

Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea military/arms shore/land fighting/war/battle corps/team/group person/member". Note that the first two characters presented together but outside of this phrase mean "navy" (sea military).

See Also:  Warrior | Military | Navy | Art of War

This almost directly matches the military idea of "Death Before Dishonor", while also being an ancient Chinese proverb.

The direct meaning is, "[A] soldier/warrior can die/kill [but he/she] cannot [allow] dishonor/disgrace [upon himself/herself]". Chinese grammar, and especially ancient grammar, is a little different than English. Not nearly as many articles are needed, and a lot is implied.

There are a lot of ways to express ideas similar to "Death Before Dishonor" in Chinese, and I would rate this one in the top two.

This is the original form of this proverb with the character for "soldier/warrior" at the beginning. Most of the time, this character is dropped, and this becomes a five-character proverb (the soldier/warrior part is implied, even without the character being present in the proverb). We also offer the shorter version.

サスケ is the Japanese title of the TV show, Sasuke Rising.

サスケ is the original Japanese TV show that inspired the American Ninja Warrior, Ninja Warrior UK, and other variations.

It should be noted that in Japan, the shows title is usually displayed in capital Roman letters as "SASUKE", rather than the Japanese text, サスケ. Although, both titles are known in Japan (you'd probably need to search for サスケ if looking to buy a Sasuke DVD in Japan).

Notes: Sasuke can also be a given name (written the same way). There are also other names that romanize as Sasuke in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

花木蘭 is the name of the famous Chinese woman warrior Hua Mulan.

She was made famous in the west by Disney's animated movie, "Mulan".

Most of the historical information about her comes from an ancient poem. It starts with a concerned Mulan, as she is told a man from each family is to serve conscription in the army. Her father is too old, and her brother is too young. Mulan decides to take the place of her father. After twelve years of war, the army returns and the best warriors are awarded great posts in the government and riches. Mulan turns down all offers, and asks only for a good horse for the long trip home. When Mulan greets visiting comrades wearing her old clothes, they are shocked to find the warrior they rode into battle with for years was actually a woman.

義俠の士 is how Paladin is written in Japanese.

The literal translation of this Japanese title is something like, "Chivalrous Warrior".

This proverb creates an image of a warrior bravely advancing against an enemy regardless of the odds.

This proverb can also be translated as "indomitable spirit" or "march fearlessly onward".

See Also:  Indomitable | Fortitude

ゲレロ is the name Guerrero in Japanese.

The Spanish word Guerrero means fighter or warrior, so you could also use a translation and pick a word that means fighter instead of this transliteration.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

惣領 is a Japanese title for the eldest child, the oldest child, first born child, or child who carries on the family name.

In more ancient times, this was used to refer to the head of a warrior clan. It can also be a place name or given name "Souryou" or "Soryo" in Japanese.

復讐者 is a Japanese Kanji title that means avenger or revenger.

The first two characters literally mean revenge or avenge.

The last character is a way to say person (or soldier/warrior).

Altogether, you have something like, "avenging person", hence avenger.

狂戰士 is the most popular way to write berserker in Chinese.

This title kind of mean Norse warrior but often refers to the berserker in a fantasy role-playing game.
There is another way to write berserker in Chinese, which is 狂暴者.

巾幗英雄 is a cool and somewhat ancient way to say woman hero in Chinese. 巾幗英雄 is used in modern times to refer to an outstanding woman or a woman with great accomplishments.

In the old days, it was a title for a woman warrior (oh, did I mention that there were great female generals who led huge armies into battle in ancient China?)

鬪士 / 闘士 is how to write "fighter" in Chinese and old Korean Hanja.

Chinese: 鬪士 / 闘士 is usually used to mean "fighter" in Chinese. It can also be translated as "warrior" or "activist".

Korean: 鬪士 / 闘士 means fighter or champion (in terms of a fighter) in Korean Hanja.

Note: The first character can also be written in three alternate ways, as shown to the right. Give us a note if you have a certain preference when you place your order.

木蘭 is a general term for the magnolia (magnolia liliflora) or lily magnolia in Chinese and Japanese.

This can refer to any of the flowering plants or trees in the Magnolia genus.

In Chinese, this is also the name Mulan, as in Hua Mulan, the legendary woman warrior and folk hero of fifth-century China.

In Japanese, this can also be the female given name Mokuren.

關羽 is the name Guan Yu, Army General for the Kingdom of Shu.

He is also known as Guan Gong (like saying Duke Guan or Sir Guan)

He was immortalized in the novel, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

He was a fearsome fighter, also famous for his virtue and loyalty. He is worshiped by some modern-day soldiers and has the title "Warrior Saint" in China. Some believe he offers safety and protection for military servicemen.

Guan Yu lived until 219 A.D.

The first character means war, warfare, or battle.
The second character means soldier, officer, man or pawn.

戰士 is how to write "fighter" in Chinese, ancient Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja. 戰士 can also mean soldier or warrior but there are better terms for those two ideas. This one is more specifically "fighter" or "one who fights". 戰士 is an odd selection for a wall scroll, unless you are a boxer, ultimate fighter, or otherwise participate in combat sports.

Other translations include combatant or champion.

Note that after WWII, the first Kanji was reformed/simplified. This modern Japanese version is shown to the right. If you want this version, click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above.

金剛 is a common way to call diamonds in Chinese and Japanese.

Traditionally, there were not that many diamonds that made their way to Asia, so this word does not have the deep cultural significance that it does in the west (thanks mostly to De Beers marketing). Therefore, this word was kind of borrowed from other uses.

This title can also refer to vajra (a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond that originally refers to an indestructible substance); hard metal; pupa of certain insects; Vajrapani, Buddha's warrior attendant; King Kong; adamantine; Buddhist symbol of the indestructible truth.

This Japanese proverb simply reads, "[In] Flowers it's Cherry Blossoms, [In] Men it's Warriors".

This is meant to say that of all the flowers in the world, the cherry blossom is the best. And of all men in the world, the Samurai or Warrior is the best

This proverb has been around for a long time. It's believed to have been composed sometime before the Edo Period in Japan (which started in 1603).

Some will drop one syllable and pronounce this, "hana wa sakura hito wa bushi". That's "sakura" instead of "sakuragi", which is like saying "cherry blossom" instead of "cherry tree".

The third character was traditionally written as 櫻. But in modern Japan, that became 桜. You may still see 櫻 used from time to time on older pieces of calligraphy. We can do either one, so just make a special request if you want 櫻.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

武芸者 is the Japanese Kanji title for "Martial Arts Master". It suggests that you have reached at least the level of black belt, and are probably to the level where you are ready to become an instructor.

Please consider carefully where you stand before ordering this phrase on a wall scroll. If you are not a master, this will make you look a bit foolish.

If you want to get this as a gift for your master at the dojo. Try to discreetly make sure this term is used in your school. Different schools and styles of Japanese martial arts use different terms. You may notice in the Romaji and the characters, this has the same characters as "geisha" which means "person skilled in arts" (what a geisha girl really is). The title here has the character for "martial", "warrior", and/or "military" in front of it. Therefore the literal translation is "martial art person".

These Kanji are valid Chinese characters and Korean Hanja but this title does not really make sense in Chinese and not often used in Korean, though a Chinese or Korean would be able to guess the meaning by looking at the first and last characters.