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Personalize your custom “Hou4” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Hou4” title below...
1. Sorry / Apologetic / Repent / Regret
2. Empress
3. Gentleness
4. Orchid Queen
6. From This Moment Forward / From This Day Forward
10. Learn From Your Predecessors
11. Past experience is the teacher for the future
後悔 is the feeling of being or feeling repentant, apologetic, and regret.
後悔 is not sorrow.
This term is often used in the context of Buddhism and other religions.
Note: This is a strange thing to write on a wall scroll for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people - but you can bend the rules if you want in the west.
皇后 is the title of empress/emperess, the female form of the emperor.
皇后 is used in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
While the emperor's reign was for life, if he died, his wife would hold his power. In this case, a woman was the ultimate ruler of the greater part of East Asia (now China) until her death and the succession of the emperor's firstborn son to lead the empire. Numerous times in various Chinese dynasties, an empress took power in this way.
The first character means emperor by itself.
The second character alone can mean “wife of an emperor or king” (the first character clarifies that we are talking about an empress and not a queen). It can also mean sovereign or last offspring, depending on context.
Note: In some books, this word is translated as queen. While only incorrect if you get technical (because an empress is theoretically a higher level than a queen), the meaning is very similar.
皇后 is sometimes used for the title of queen, but more technically, this is the wife of the emperor (a higher level than a queen).
溫厚 is a Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean word for gentle or gentleness.
This can also mean “kindness” (more as an adjective like “kind person”).
The modern Japanese version of the first character looks like the one to the right. If you want this modern Japanese form, just click on that Kanji instead of the button above.
Short Version
Wife of the King
王后 is another way to write queen in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
王后 is sometimes used for the title of empress.
The first character means “king,” and the second means “wife,” or a short form to say “wife of the king/emperor.” So this is literally “king's wife” or “emperor's wife.” Some will translate this as “queen consort.”
In simple terms, 從此以后 means “from now on,” but you can also interpret it as “Now is the beginning of the future” or “From this day forward.
The first two characters roughly mean “henceforth.” The last two characters mean later, afterward, following, or “in the future.”
深情厚義 means to love and honor.
This is more or less the kind of thing you'd find in marriage vows.
The first two characters suggest deep love or deep emotions, passion, and feelings.
The last two characters mean generous justice or thick honor (the third character is an adjective that means generous or thick). It just means that you will honor your lover's wishes and treat them justly and righteously (fairly).
This is the longer four-character version, there is also a short and sweet two character version.
See Also: Love and Honor
前赴後繼 is a Chinese proverb that figuratively means “to advance dauntlessly in wave upon wave.”
It suggests that you should or can carry on and have the strength to keep going.
While this proverb is a little bit militaristic, it suggests that despite a fallen comrade (or perhaps a loved one), you should keep going and work towards the goal they intended.
When the cart in front overturns, be cautious with your own
前車之覆后車之鑒 is a Chinese proverb that suggests looking at the circumstances and toils of those you proceeded before you and learning from their experience.
This more literally means “the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart.”
This is figuratively translated as “draw a lesson from the failure of one's predecessor,” “learn from past mistakes,” or compared to the English idiom, “once bitten twice shy.”
Other more-direct translations:
Make the overturning of the chariot in front a warning for the chariot behind.
Learn caution through an unpleasant experience.
The wrecked coach in front should be a warning.
The overturned cart in front serves as a warning to the carts behind.
Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.
The most literal translation to English of this ancient 前事不忘后事之师 Chinese proverb is:
“Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.”
However, it's been translated several ways:
Don't forget past events, they can guide you in the future.
Benefit from past experience.
Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
Past calamity is my teacher.
A good memory for the past is a teacher for the future.
The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future.
If one remembers the lessons of the past; They will serve as a guide to avoid mistakes in the future.
The origin:
This proverb comes from the 5th century B.C., just before the Warring States Period in the territory now known as China.
The head of the State of Jin, Zhi Bo, seized power in a coup. He did this with help from the armies of the State of Han and Wei. Instead of being grateful for the help from Han and Wei, he treacherously took the land of Han and Wei. Never satisfied, Zhi Bo employed the armies of Han and Wei to attack and seize the State of Zhao.
The king of Zhao took advice from his minister Zhang Mengtan and secretly contacted the Han and Wei armies to reverse their plans and attack the army of Zhi Bo instead. The plan was successful, and the State of Zhao was not only saved but was set to become a powerful kingdom in the region.
Zhang Mengtan immediately submitted his resignation to a confused king of Zhao. When asked why, Zhang Mengtan said, “I've done my duty to save my kingdom, but looking back at past experience, I know sovereign kings are never satisfied with the power or land at hand. They will join others and fight for more power and more land. I must learn from past experiences, as those experiences are the teachers of future events.”
The king could not dispute the logic in that statement and accepted Zhang Mengtan's resignation.
For generations, the State of Zhao continued to fight for power and land until finally defeated and decimated by the State of Qin (which led to the birth of the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.).
酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 is a nice Asian proverb if you know a vintner or wine seller - or wine lover - although the actual meaning might not be exactly what you think or hope.
The literal meaning is that someone drinking wine is more likely to let the truth slip out. It can also be translated as “People speak their true feelings after drinking alcohol.”
It's long believed in many parts of Asia that one can not consciously hold up a facade of lies when getting drunk, and therefore the truth will come out with a few drinks.
I've had the experience where a Korean man would not trust me until I got drunk with him (I was trying to gain access to the black market in North Korea which is tough to do as an untrusted outsider) - so I think this idea is still well-practiced in many Asian countries.
Please note that there are two common ways to write the second character of this phrase. The way it's written will be left up to the mood of the calligrapher, unless you let us know that you have a certain preference.
I remember this being shouted a lot during U.S. Marine Corps boot camp. 疼痛就是衰弱離你而去的時候 is how to write that phrase in Chinese. At least, this is as close as we could compose/translate it, and hold the full original meaning and connotations.
The version shown here is really, “Pain is weakness leaving your body.” Although it's said in English both ways (the or your), it works better in Chinese with “your.”
Before enlightenment or after, chores remain.
頓悟之前砍柴挑水; 頓悟之後砍柴挑水 means “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water; After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
This is a Chinese proverb that is attributed to 吴力 (Wú Lì) who lived between 1632 and 1718 - living part of his life as a devout Buddhist, and many years as a Catholic Jesuit Priest in China - what an interesting life!
This has been explained many times in many ways. I am a Buddhist, and here is my brief take on this proverb...
Before enlightenment, one may find daily chores mundane, tedious, and boring. However, upon reaching enlightenment one is not relieved of the details of daily life. An enlightened person will, however, see such chores as a joy, and do them mindfully.
There is another version floating around, which is 在你領悟之前砍柴、運水。在你領悟之後,砍柴、運水。
If you want this other version, just contact me. The meaning is the same, just different phrasing.
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your hou4 search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
後悔 后悔 see styles |
hòu huǐ hou4 hui3 hou hui koukai / kokai こうかい |
More info & calligraphy: Sorry / Apologetic / Repent / Regret(n,vs,vt,vi,adj-no) regret; repentance; remorse to repent; regret |
溫厚 温厚 see styles |
wēn hòu wen1 hou4 wen hou |
More info & calligraphy: GentlenessSee: 温厚 |
王后 see styles |
wáng hòu wang2 hou4 wang hou oukou / oko おうこう |
More info & calligraphy: Queen / Empressqueen |
皇后 see styles |
huáng hòu huang2 hou4 huang hou kougou / kogo こうごう |
More info & calligraphy: Empress(noun - becomes adjective with の) (Japanese) empress; queen; (surname) Kōgou empress |
候 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou soro; sou; sau; su / soro; so; sau; su そろ; そう; さう; す |
to wait; to inquire after; to watch; season; climate; (old) period of five days (auxiliary) (1) (archaism) (polite language) (auxiliary used in place of ある after で or に when forming a copula) to be; (auxiliary) (2) (archaism) (polite language) (auxiliary used in place of ます) (See 候ふ・2) to do; (surname, given name) Kō |
厚 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou atsu あつ |
thick; deep or profound; kind; generous; rich or strong in flavor; to favor; to stress (suffix) thickness; (given name) Makoto thick |
后 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou kisaki きさき |
empress; queen; (archaic) monarch; ruler (out-dated kanji) (suffix) after; (out-dated or obsolete kana usage) empress; queen; (female given name) Kisaki |
垕 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
thick |
堠 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
mounds for beacons |
後 后 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou go ご |
back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later; post- (n,n-suf,adv) after; (surname) Nochi After, behind, 1ater, posterior. |
豞 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
grunting of pigs |
逅 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
to meet unexpectedly |
郈 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
surname Hou; place name |
鄇 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
place name |
鮜 鲘 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
see 鱯|鳠[hu4] |
鱟 鲎 see styles |
hòu hou4 hou |
horseshoe crab |
中後 中后 see styles |
zhōng hòu zhong1 hou4 chung hou nakago なかご |
(surname) Nakago middle and latter |
久後 久后 see styles |
jiǔ hòu jiu3 hou4 chiu hou hisago ひさご |
(surname) Hisago in the future |
之後 之后 see styles |
zhī hòu zhi1 hou4 chih hou |
after; behind; (at the beginning of a sentence) afterwards; since then |
事後 事后 see styles |
shì hòu shi4 hou4 shih hou jigo じご |
after the event; in hindsight; in retrospect (can be adjective with の) (See 事前) after; post; ex-; after the fact; ex post |
仁厚 see styles |
rén hòu ren2 hou4 jen hou masaatsu / masatsu まさあつ |
kindhearted; tolerant; honest and generous (personal name) Masaatsu |
今後 今后 see styles |
jīn hòu jin1 hou4 chin hou kongo こんご |
hereafter; henceforth; in the future; from now on (n,adv) from now on; hereafter; (surname) Imago |
以後 以后 see styles |
yǐ hòu yi3 hou4 i hou igozaki いござき |
after; later; afterwards; following; later on; in the future (n-adv,n-t) (1) after this; from now on; hereafter; (2) thereafter; since (verb) (after -te form of verb); after (time); since (then); (surname) Igozaki afterwards |
侍候 see styles |
shì hòu shi4 hou4 shih hou |
to serve; to wait upon |
俟候 see styles |
sì hòu si4 hou4 ssu hou |
to wait (literary) |
候乘 see styles |
hòu chéng hou4 cheng2 hou ch`eng hou cheng |
to wait for a train or bus |
候任 see styles |
hòu rèn hou4 ren4 hou jen |
-elect; designate; (i.e. elected or appointed but not yet installed) |
候命 see styles |
hòu mìng hou4 ming4 hou ming |
to await orders; to be on call |
候場 候场 see styles |
hòu chǎng hou4 chang3 hou ch`ang hou chang |
(of an actor, athlete etc) to prepare to make one's entrance; to wait in the wings |
候審 候审 see styles |
hòu shěn hou4 shen3 hou shen |
awaiting trial |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Sorry Apologetic Repent Regret | 後悔 | kou kai / go ke koukai / goke ko kai / go ke | hòu huǐ / hou4 hui3 / hou hui / houhui | |
Empress | 皇后 | kou gou / kougou / ko go | huáng hòu huang2 hou4 huang hou huanghou | |
Gentleness | 溫厚 温厚 | on kou / onkou / on ko | wēn hòu / wen1 hou4 / wen hou / wenhou | |
Orchid Queen | 蘭后 兰后 | lán hòu / lan2 hou4 / lan hou / lanhou | ||
Queen Empress | 王后 | ou kou / oukou / o ko | wáng hòu / wang2 hou4 / wang hou / wanghou | |
From This Moment Forward From This Day Forward | 從此以后 从此以后 | cóng cǐ yǐ hòu cong2 ci3 yi3 hou4 cong ci yi hou congciyihou | ts`ung tz`u i hou tsungtzuihou tsung tzu i hou |
|
Love and Honor | 深情厚義 深情厚义 | shēn qíng hòu yì shen1 qing2 hou4 yi4 shen qing hou yi shenqinghouyi | shen ch`ing hou i shenchinghoui shen ching hou i |
|
Carry On, Undaunted | 前赴後繼 前赴后继 | qián fù hòu jì qian2 fu4 hou4 ji4 qian fu hou ji qianfuhouji | ch`ien fu hou chi chienfuhouchi chien fu hou chi |
|
Hou De Zai Wu | 厚德載物 厚德载物 | hòu dé zài wù hou4 de2 zai4 wu4 hou de zai wu houdezaiwu | hou te tsai wu houtetsaiwu |
|
Learn From Your Predecessors | 前車之覆后車之鑒 前车之覆后车之鉴 | qián chē zhī fù hòu chē zhī jiàn qian2 che1 zhi1 fu4 hou4 che1 zhi1 jian4 qian che zhi fu hou che zhi jian | ch`ien ch`e chih fu hou ch`e chih chien chien che chih fu hou che chih chien |
|
Past experience is the teacher for the future | 前事不忘后事之師 前事不忘后事之师 | qián shì bú wàng hòu shí zhī shī qian2 shi4 bu2 wang4 hou4 shi2 zhi1 shi1 qian shi bu wang hou shi zhi shi | ch`ien shih pu wang hou shih chih shih chien shih pu wang hou shih chih shih |
|
In Wine there is Truth | 酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 酒后吐真言 | jiǔ hòu tǔ zhēn yán jiu3 hou4 tu3 zhen1 yan2 jiu hou tu zhen yan jiuhoutuzhenyan | chiu hou t`u chen yen chiuhoutuchenyen chiu hou tu chen yen |
|
Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body | 疼痛就是衰弱離你而去的時候 疼痛就是衰弱离你而去的时候 | téng tòng jiù shì shuāi ruò lí nǐ ér qù de shí hòu teng2 tong4 jiu4 shi4 shuai1 ruo4 li2 ni3 er2 qu4 de shi2 hou4 teng tong jiu shi shuai ruo li ni er qu de shi hou | t`eng t`ung chiu shih shuai jo li ni erh ch`ü te shih hou teng tung chiu shih shuai jo li ni erh chü te shih hou |
|
Chop Wood, Carry Water | 頓悟之前砍柴挑水頓悟之后砍柴挑水 顿悟之前砍柴挑水顿悟之后砍柴挑水 | dùn wù zhī qián kǎn chái tiāo shuǐ dùn wù zhī hòu kǎn chái tiāo shuǐ dun4 wu4 zhi1 qian2 kan3 chai2 tiao1 shui3 dun4 wu4 zhi1 hou4 kan3 chai2 tiao1 shui3 dun wu zhi qian kan chai tiao shui dun wu zhi hou kan chai tiao shui | tun wu chih ch`ien k`an ch`ai t`iao shui tun wu chih hou k`an ch`ai t`iao shui tun wu chih chien kan chai tiao shui tun wu chih hou kan chai tiao shui |
|
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.
Some people may refer to this entry as Hou4 Kanji, Hou4 Characters, Hou4 in Mandarin Chinese, Hou4 Characters, Hou4 in Chinese Writing, Hou4 in Japanese Writing, Hou4 in Asian Writing, Hou4 Ideograms, Chinese Hou4 symbols, Hou4 Hieroglyphics, Hou4 Glyphs, Hou4 in Chinese Letters, Hou4 Hanzi, Hou4 in Japanese Kanji, Hou4 Pictograms, Hou4 in the Chinese Written-Language, or Hou4 in the Japanese Written-Language.