I’d Rather Be With You in Chinese / Japanese...

wǒ zhǐ yuàn hé nǐ zài yī qǐ

This is a Chinese phrase that is the rough equivalent to, "You are the one I want to be with," or "I only wish to be with you."

nìng quē wú làn

This Chinese proverb can be translated as, "Better to have nothing (than substandard choice)."

It basically suggests that one should prefer to go without something rather than accept a shoddy option.

See Also:  A Deliberate Inaction Is Better Than a Blind Action

yí dòng bù rú yí jìng

일동불여일정

Sometimes this is translated by others as "Look before you leap" but the more accurate and direct translation is the one I used in the title.

While somewhat military in its origin, this proverb can apply to any situation where a decision needs to be made, but perhaps there are still some "unknowns."

This phrase suggests that in our "action based" world, sometimes the "smarter move" is "no move at all."

See Also:  Better to Choose Nothing Rather Than Make a Poor Choice

yuàn zuò xīn shī bù shī yú xīn

This is, "Be master of mind, rather than mastered by mind," in Chinese.

This is not an ancient Chinese phrase but rather something we added at the request of a customer.

bú zì yóu wú nìng sǐ

不自由毋寧死 means, "Give me liberty or give me death," in Chinese.

This is also the best way to say, "Live free or die."

The characters break down this way:
不 = Not; none; without.
自由 = Freedom; liberty; freewill; self-determination.
毋寧 = Rather; would rather; rather be.
死 = Dead; death.

This will go nicely next to your, "Don't tread on me," flag. This phrase is known well enough in China that it's listed in a few dictionaries. Though I doubt you will find too many Chinese citizens willing to yell this on the steps of the capital in Beijing.

See Also:  Death Before Dishonor

hào qí

kouki

호기

好奇 means curiosity or inquisitive in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. It is a rather positive word in all three languages - though not as commonly used in Japanese.

nèi zài měi

This three-character title speaks of beauty on the inside. It's not about outward or physical beauty but rather the inner beauty possessed by someone. This can also be translated as "beauty of spirit."

nai men bi

This three-character title speaks of beauty on the inside. It's not about outward or physical beauty but rather the inner beauty possessed by someone. This can also be translated as "beauty of spirit."

mirano

ミラノ is the Japanese Katakana (phonetic Japanese) for the name and city, Milano.

This version is more the Italian pronunciation with the "o" rather than just the English Milan.

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

koohii

珈琲 is how they write coffee Japan.

珈琲 is a loanword from English or Spanish. It's meant to sound like coffee or café, rather than to mean coffee.

kā fēi

咖啡 is how they write coffee in mainland China (it's 咖逼 in Taiwan).

咖啡 is a loanword from English or Spanish. It's meant to sound like coffee or café, rather than to mean coffee.

ài xī yà

愛西亞 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Aysia.

The meaning is "Love West Asia," although it will be read as a name, rather than this meaning by most.

kǎ sī tè luó

卡斯特羅 is the surname Castro transliterated into Mandarin Chinese.

A Chinese person may associate this title with Fidel Castro as this Cuban leader is rather famous in China.

chasutitii

This is the name Chastity written in Katakana (phonetic Japanese). If your name is Chastity, I suggest using a word that means Chastity, rather than this transliteration of the name.

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

sougoukakutougi

総合格闘技 is a Japanese title for mixed martial arts or MMA.

Note: Some will use other titles for this rather new word or evolving concept. This seems to be the most common right now in the Japanese language.

bù guì chǐ zhī bì ér zhòng cùn zhī yīn

This literally translates as: Treasure not a foot long [piece of] jade, [rather] treasure an inch of time.

Figuratively, this suggests that time is the most important/valuable thing in life.

창헌태권도

蒼軒跆拳道 is the title "Chang Hon Taekwon-Do" written in old Korean Hanja.

This literally means, "Pale Blue Kick Fist/Punch Way."

The rather awkward official romanization is "cang heon tae gweon do."

Occasionally, you will see the first Hanja character written as 苍 instead of 蒼. It's just a different way to write the same character. If you want 苍 instead of 蒼, just let me know.

dài méng dé

戴矇德 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Diamond.

I suggest you use a word that means diamond, rather than this one that sounds like diamond.

foosu

フォース is how Japanese will write The Force, as in Star Wars.

フォース is phonetic, so it's meant to sound like the English word "force" rather than mean force in Japanese.

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

sukaaretto

This is the name Scarlet written in Katakana (phonetic Japanese).

If this is your name, please consider a title that means the color scarlet, rather than this, which sounds like Scarlet.

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

níng wéi yù suì

寧為玉碎 is the short version of a longer Chinese proverb which means, "rather be shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery." The characters shown above just say the "rather be a broken piece of jade" part (the second half is implied - everyone in China knows this idiom).

A little more explanation:
Death is implied with the "broken" meaning. Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, and in this case is compared with one's honor and self-worth. Pottery is just something you eat off of, it has no deep value, just as a person who has lost their honor, or had none to begin with.
Thus, this means, "better to die with honor than to live in shame" or words to that effect.

寧為玉碎 is often translated in English as "Death Before Dishonor," the famous military slogan.

I would also compare this to the English proverb, "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees."

wú jíng chá

mukeisatsu

무경찰

無警察 means the state of anarchy. More literally it means "without rules or judges." This combination of characters makes sense in Korean and Chinese but with a meaning closer to, "without police." 無警察 is kind of a weird selection for a wall scroll, and a rather obscure idea (a couple of customers begged for this term, so we added it).

jiù shì

guze

救世 is salvation in Chinese characters and Japanese Kanji.

This can refer to the saving, rescue, or salvation of one's life, the life or lives of others, a generation, an era, or even the whole world. As you can see, this is a rather generic and broad way to say salvation.

tiě jiang

鐵匠 means blacksmith or ironworker in Chinese.

鐵 means iron or tough metal.

匠 means craftsman or artisan. 匠 can also mean carpenter (in the context of woodworking rather than metal forging).

ā chè

阿徹 is a common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Archer.

However, I suggest you use a word that means archer rather than this transliteration that only sounds like Archer.

sī mò

斯萬 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Swan. If your name is Swan, I suggest using one of the titles we have that mean "swan" rather than this one that just sounds like "swan."

qiáo yī

喬伊 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Joy.

If your name is Joy, I recommend that you pick a character that means "joy" rather than this version which only sounds like "Joy."

joi

ジョイ is the name Joy written in Katakana (phonetic Japanese).

If your name is Joy, I recommend that you pick a character that means "joy" rather than this version which only sounds like "Joy."

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

gū dú

ko doku

고독

孤獨 means lonely, solitude, loneliness, and lonesome.
In some context, it can mean reclusive, isolation, single or solo.

孤獨 is a Japanese word but not a good selection for a wall scroll.
In Chinese, this will relay a rather sad feeling to anyone who reads this calligraphy on your wall.

The version shown to the left is the Traditional Chinese and ancient Japanese version. In modern Japan and China they often use a different more simplified version of the second character (as shown to the right). If you want this Japanese/Simplified version, please click on the character shown to the right instead of the button above.

luō sī

羅斯 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Rose.

羅斯 is meant to sound like the English word rose, but does not mean the rose flower. You might want the meaning, rather than this transliteration if your name is Rose.

kikkubokushingu

This is the Japanese Katakana word for kickboxing. This is a transliteration or borrowed word, meaning that it's meant to sound like "kick-boxing," rather than being an organic Japanese Kanji word that means "kick-boxing."

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

zì lǜ

jiritsu

자율

Self-discipline means self-control. It is doing what you really want to do, rather than being tossed around by your feelings like a leaf in the wind. You act instead of react. You get things done in an orderly and efficient way. With self-discipline, you take charge of yourself.

Not sure if this one works for a Japanese audience.

See Also:  Discipline | Self-Control

wǔ jì

bugi

무기

This can be translated as "martial arts skills," "warrior skills," or "military skills" depending on usage. In both Japanese and Chinese, rather than meaning martial arts, this speaks more to the skills that you posses in regards to martial arts. This phrase also has a light suggestion of "having an itch to show off these skills."

měi lì de gōng zhǔ

美麗的公主 is how to write beautiful princess in Chinese. The first two characters mean feminine beauty, or rather a way to say beautiful that only applies to women. The middle character is just a connecting character. The last two characters mean princess.

See Also:  Queen

hyakusenrenma

百戦錬磨 is a Japanese proverb or title that mean veteran, or rather, someone schooled by adversity in many battles, or someone rich in life experience.

If you are who you are because of the adversity you experienced in life, this could be the title for you.

lóng zhī dào

龍之道 is how the way of the dragon is written in Chinese.

龍之道 is not the same as the Chinese movie that was titled in English as "The Way of the Dragon". 龍之道 is rather, the literal meaning, of the dragon's way. The first character is dragon, the second is a possessive article, and the third character means way or path.

luò

raku

락*낙

駱 is a character that can be a Chinese surname Luo or Japanese surname Raku.

The original meaning of this character is camel, but that is rather archaic. The surname is the first thing that comes to mind for any Chinese or Japanese person.

fu mei yo yo ri shi

This is the Japanese version of "Death Before Dishonor." Japanese grammar is a bit different than English, so this really means something like "Rather die than to be dishonored." However, the "dishonor" is the first three Kanji, and death is the last Kanji. There are two Hiragana (より) which indicate the preference is death when comparing dishonor to death.

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

xìn wàng ài

信望愛 is a Chinese list of words meaning faith, hope, and love.

信望愛 is not a typical phrase in Chinese but rather just random words strung together. There's no bad meaning, it's just not typical Chinese grammar.

nèi zài lì liàng

내재력량

內在力量 is the slightly-verbose way to say inner-strength. The first two characters mean "intrinsic" or "inner." The second two characters mean "power," "force" or "strength" (especially physical strength). 內在力量 is more a short phrase rather than just a word in Chinese and Korean. This can sort of be understood in Japanese but it's not normal/proper Japanese.

wa dou kai

Wado-Kai is used as a title for styles of Karate and Aikido.

Breaking down the characters into the proper Japanese Romaji, you have "wa dou kai" or "wa dō kai." The meaning is roughly-translated as "Harmony Way Club" or "Peace Method Association." The first Kanji should probably be read as harmony, rather than peace in this case.

See Also:  Wado-Ryu

lǐ niàn

ri nen

이념

理念 / 理唸 means idea, notion, concept, principle, theory, philosophy*, or doctrine in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

理念 / 理唸 is OK for a wall scroll, although it's more commonly used as an oral/informal word in Asia.

* 理念 / 理唸 is not the title for philosophy but rather is about having a certain philosophy or approach to something.

shēng huó yú fán róng zhōng

This means, "live in prosperity." It's kind of a suggestion to be prosperity the center of your world.

This is the way some people want to live (and you should always live for what you love). However, this phrase does not suggest a peaceful life - rather one that is always busy. It's not for everyone but it might be for you.

See Also:  Prosperity

nǚ jiá

joketsu

女傑 can mean brave woman, heroine, lady of character, distinguished woman, outstanding woman, and sometimes prominent woman.

In modern usage, some people might use this to give a title to women like Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, or Sarah Palin. I would rather use it for a woman like Araceli Segarra (the first woman from Spain to climb Mt. Everest).

rù dìng

입정

This title can be defined as Zen contemplation in Japanese, or sit quietly in (Buddhist) meditation in Chinese. It also carries a similar meaning in Korean Hanja. Therefore, this is a rather universal term for meditation in the context of Buddhism throughout the Orient.

Can also be translated as "Meditatively equipoised" or "enter into meditation by stilling the karmic activities of deed, speech, and thought."

The original Sanskrit word is samapanna. In Tibetan: snyoms par zhugs pa.

jiǎ dé

賈德 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Jade.

賈德 is meant to sound like the English pronunciation of jade using Mandarin Chinese sounds. It does not mean jade.

I suggest the character that means jade rather than this if your name is Jade.

yù

tama / gyoku

옥

玉 is how to write jade in Chinese, Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji. This refers to the semi-precious stone that can be almost white or a vivid green.

Note: In Japanese, this character can mean jewel, ball, sphere or coin depending on context.

If your name is Jade, you may want to choose this to represent your name by meaning rather than pronunciation.

bǎi wén bù rú yí jiàn

백문불여일견

This proverb literally means "Better to see something once rather than hear about it one hundred times" or "Telling me about something 100 times is not as good as seeing it once." In English, we have the similar proverb of "Seeing is believing" but this has a bit of the "A picture paints a thousand words" meaning too.

Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.

yì

kokoro

의

意 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for idea, intention, meaning, thought, wish, desire, intention, feelings, thoughts.

In Buddhism, this is the last of the six means of perception (the others are sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and this one represents mind). It does not literally mean "mind", but rather something more like mental powers, intellect, intelligence, faculty of thought, or understanding in the Buddhist context.

shēng rì kuài lè

生日快樂 is how to write "Happy Birthday" in Chinese. The first two characters mean "birthday," and the second two characters mean "happiness," or rather a wish for happiness.

Because a birthday only lasts one day per year, we strongly suggest that you find an appropriate and personal calligraphy gift that can be hung in the recipient's home year round.

nìng sǐ bù xiáng

This ancient Chinese proverb can be translated as "Rather to die than surrender," "Prefer death over surrender," "To prefer death to surrender," or simply "No surrender."

寧死不降 is probably the closest proverb to the English proverb "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees."

shuǐ jīng

suishou

수정

水晶 means "crystal" such as fine crystal glassware or diamonds in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Hanja.

水晶 is a cool selection if your name is Crystal, as it will match your name by meaning (rather than pronunciation).

It's also cool because it will universally contain the meaning of your name in most Asian languages.

shēn

mi

신

身 is how to write "body" as in your human body, in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja. Depending on context and certain language issues, this character can also mean: main part, hull, oneself, somebody, person, I, me, sword, lifetime, one's station in life, etc.

While this written word is universal in three languages, it still makes a rather odd selection for a wall scroll. Also, they tend to use 体 (karada) in Japanese for body (depending on context).

See Also:  Karada

bīng zài jīng ér bú zài duō jiàng zài móu ér bú zài yǒng

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

This 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

yí shì tóng rén

isshidoujin

일시동인

一視同仁 is how to write "universal benevolence." 一視同仁 is also how to express the idea that you see all people the same.

If you are kind and charitable to all people, this is the best way to state that virtue. It is the essence of being impartial to all mankind, regardless of social standing, background, race, sex, etc. You do not judge others but rather you see them eye to eye on the same level with you.

See Also:  Benevolence | Compassion | Equality | Justice | Right Decision | Selflessness | Work Unselfishly for the Common

píng hé

hei wa

평화

平和 is the Japanese and Korean order of these characters used most often to express the idea of peace, tranquility and harmony.

It's just the reverse order of the Chinese. In this order in Chinese, it means takes the "mild" definition, rather than "peace." In Korean, the combination keeps the same meaning in either order.

The second character also means balance, so there is an element of harmony and balance along with peace.

róng shè

you sha

용사

容赦 is the kind of forgiveness that a king might give to his subjects for crimes or wrong-doings.

容赦 is a rather high-level forgiveness. Meaning that it goes from a higher level to lower (not the reverse).

Alone, the first character can mean "to bear," "to allow" and/or "to tolerate," and the second can mean "to forgive," "to pardon" and/or "to excuse."

When you put both characters together, you get forgiveness, pardon, mercy, leniency, or going easy (on someone).

See Also:  Benevolence

fù chóu

fukukyuu

복구

These two characters can be translated as revenge, avenge, reprisal or vengeance.

復仇 is actually a very odd selection for a calligraphy scroll. This would be unusual, if not shocking, to a Japanese or Chinese person that views such calligraphy artwork. Also, my Japanese translator has indicated this word is rather obscure in modern Japanese (see our Japanese version of this bad word).

We do not recommend this for a wall scroll - it is here for educational and reference purposes only.

jīng shén bàn lǚ

sei shin han ryo

精神伴侶 is title means "Spiritual Soul Mates." The first two characters mean "spiritual" or "soul." The second two characters mean "mates," "companions" or "partners."

精神伴侶 is more about the spiritual connection between partners rather than a "fate-brought-us-together" kind of soul mates.

Both halves of this title have meaning in Japanese but I've not yet confirmed that this is a commonly used title in Japan.

wēi

ki

위

危 means danger, peril or "to endanger." If you live a dangerous life, or want to subtly warn others that you are a dangerous person, this may be the selection for you.

This also means "danger" and sometimes "fear" in Japanese and Korean but is seldom seen outside of compound words in those languages (as a single character, it's kind of like an abbreviation for danger in Japanese and Korean). 危 is also a rather odd selection for a wall scroll anyway. It's only here because people search for danger on our website.

zhuī xún mèng xiǎng

追尋夢想 means "pursue your dreams," "follow your dreams," or "chase your dreams" in Chinese.

The first two characters mean "to pursue," "to track down," or "to search for."

The last two mean dreams. This version of dreams refers to those with an element of reality (not the dreams you have when you sleep but rather your aspirations or goals in life).

This title will tell everyone that you want to make your dreams come true.

See Also:  Pursuit of Happiness

ài qíng shēng huó

aijyou seikatsu

애정생활

愛情生活 is the Chinese proverb for "Loving Life." Some also translate this as "[your] Loving Life" or "Life full of Love."

愛情生活 is about being a loving person (to spouse and/or family) during your life. 愛情生活 is not the same as loving the state of being alive - not "love of living" but rather "being loving person during your life."

Note: Korean pronunciation is included above, though use of this proverb in Korean has not been verified.

This proverb can be understood in Japanese but it's primarily a Chinese proverb (it will "feel" Chinese to a Japanese person).

kǎ mǎ

卡瑪 is the most common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Karma.

Note: This sounds like Karma but does not have the meaning of Karma in Chinese. See our other entry if you are looking for the Buddhist idea of Karma.

In fact, if your name is Karma, I strongly suggest that you use a word that means Karma, rather than this one which sounds like Karma (meaning is more important and universal in Chinese/Japanese/Korean).

níng sǐ bù qū

寧死不屈 is often translated as "Death Before Dishonor."

The literal translation is more like, "Better die than compromise." The last two characters mean "not to bend" or "not to bow down." Some might even say that it means "not to surrender." Thus, you could say this proverb means, "Better to die than live on my knees" or simply "no surrender" (with the real idea being that you would rather die than surrender).

sasuke

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.

bǎi shé bù qū

백절불굴

This Korean proverb means "indomitable spirit," at least, that is the way it is commonly translated in martial arts circles (Taekwondo, Hapkido, etc.).

The literal translation is "[one] hundred [times] broken [still] don't succumb."
Or more naturally translated, "Even if attacked/beaten one hundred times, still be undaunted/indomitable."

Notes:
Some will say this is one long word rather than a proverb.
百折不屈 is also a proverb/word in Chinese though rarely used in modern times.

wa dou ryuu

Wado-Ryu is a style of Karate or Jujutsu (Jujitsu).
Note: Many will argue as to whether this is a style of Karate or Jujutsu.

While some find Wado-Ryu similar to Shotokan Karate, enough differences exist in perspective and technique that it stands by itself.

Breaking down the characters into the proper Japanese Romaji, you have "wa dou ryuu" or "wa dō ryū." The meaning is roughly-translated as "Harmony Way Style" or "Peace Method Style." The first Kanji should probably be read as harmony, rather than peace in this case.

See Also:  Wado-Kai

tàn xiǎn

tanken

탐험

If you lead a life of adventure (like I do), a 探險 wall scroll is for you.

Alone, the first character can mean "to explore," "to search out," or "to scout." The second character holds the meanings of "dangerous" and "rugged." Together these two characters create the word that means "adventure" or "to explore."

探険 is a modern Japanese Kanji version, but it more precisely means exploration or expedition rather than adventure. 探險 is the old/ancient Japanese version used before WWII. Let us know if you want the modern Japanese version instead.

See Also:  Bon Voyage | Travel

nèi xīn píng jìng

naishin heizyou

내심평정

This Chinese and Japanese phrase is a direct translation for the western idea of inner peace.

The first two characters contain the idea of "heart," "innermost being," or "deep in the/your inner mind."

The last two characters mean "tranquil" and "serene."

I have seen this phrase used as "inner peace" for art prints and even on the side of coffee cups. But I think the translation is too literal. It feels like a direct translation from English rather than a nicely composed Chinese or Japanese phrase. See my other entries for "inner peace."

See Also:  Serenity | Simplicity | Peace

ei en no ai

The first two characters mean eternal, eternity, perpetuity, forever, immortality, and permanence.

The third character is a possessive article which sort of makes this selection mean "Love, of the eternal kind."

The last character is "love."

Cultural note: Most of the time, it is taboo to use the word "love" in Japanese. For instance, a Japanese man will say, "I like you," rather than, "I love you," to his spouse/girlfriend. However, this entry for eternal love is acceptable because of the way it is composed.

This entry is only appropriate if your audience is Japanese. We also have a Chinese version of this phrase.

fēi hǔ

비호

飛虎 is the short, or rather, Korean title of the "Flying Tigers." This short title is not very often used in China but is a title used in Korea. At the time the Flying Tigers volunteers were in China, Korea was also occupied by Japanese forces. Because many Korean civilians were enslaved and killed at the hands of the Japanese soldiers, any group that fought against the Japanese at that time was held in high-esteem by Korean people.

Note: I suggest the other 3-character entry since this group was so strongly related with China.

飛虎 is also used as an adjective in Korean to describe a courageous person.

tiě zhǎng

tetsu-tenohira

철장

These two characters mean "iron palm," the martial arts technique taught by Brian Gray and others.

This term can mean different things to different people. The consensus is that rather than a type or style of martial arts, this is a technique for refining hand position and strengthening of hands to strike blows for with maximum force and effect.

The regime may include herbal treatments and special exercises to fortify the hands.

In more extreme versions, the carpals and metacarpal bones in the hand are systematically broken, so that when they heal, they will become stronger.

Japanese note: This does make sense in Japanese (though the version shown above is the ancient form of the first Kanji) this is far from a commonly-known term.

nán pài táng láng

남파당랑

This can be translated literally as "Southern School Praying Mantis" or "Southern Style Praying Mantis."

Despite its name, the Southern Praying Mantis style of Chinese martial arts is unrelated to the Northern Praying Mantis style. Southern Praying Mantis is instead related most closely to fellow Hakka styles such as Dragon and more distantly to the Fujian family of styles that includes Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, and Wing Chun.

This style of martial arts focuses more on fighting skills rather than aesthetics.

Of course, you already knew that if you were looking for this term.

Note: This title can be pronounced and does have meaning in Korean but only to Koreans familiar with Chinese martial arts.

yī yuē cí èr yuē jiǎn sān yuē bù gǎn wéi tiān xià xiān

This is an except from the 67th Chapter of Lao Tzu's (Lao Zi's) Te-Tao Ching (Dao De Jing). This is the part where the three treasures are discussed. In English, we'd say these three treasures are compassion, frugality, and humility. Some may translate these as love, moderation, and lack of arrogance. I have also seen them translated as benevolence, modesty, and "Not presuming to be at the forefront in the world." You can mix them up the way you want, as translation is not really a science but rather an art.

I should also explain that the first two treasures are single-character ideas, yet the third treasure was written out in six characters (there are also some auxiliary characters to number the treasures).

If Lao Tzu's words are important to you, then a wall scroll with this passage might make a great addition to your home.

rěn

nin

인

忍 is just the first character of "Ninja." It means to beat, to endure, or to tolerate. Some use this as the short form of "Ninja" but it would be more correct to use the two-character version in most cases (and for clarity). Other definitions of this Kanji include: to bear, put up with, conceal, spy or sneak. It is also a character in Korean Hanja and Chinese but not well-known with this meaning but rather a definition like "patience."

Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write it in the form shown to the right. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect this Kanji form (yes, it's just one stroke that is slightly different in location, crossing another stroke in the Japanese Kanji form).

quán fǎ

kenpou

권법

This form of martial arts can be translated in several ways. Some will call it "fist principles" or "the way of the fist," or even "law of the fist." The first character literally means fist. The second can mean law, method, way, principle or Buddhist teaching.

Kempo is really a potluck of martial arts. Often a combination of Chinese martial arts such as Shaolin Kung Fu with Japanese martial arts such as Karate, Jujutsu (Jujitsu), Aikido, and others. You may see the term "Kempo Karate" which basically means Karate with other disciplines added. In this way, Kempo becomes an adjective rather than a title or school of martial arts.

These facts will long be argued by various masters and students of Kempo. Even the argument as to whether it should be spelled "kenpo" or "Kempo" ensues at dojos around the world (the correct Romaji should actually be "kenpou" if you precisely follow the rules).

The benefit of Kempo is that the techniques are easier to learn and master compared to pure Kung Fu (wu shu). Students are often taught basic Karate moves, kicks, and punches before augmenting the basic skills with complex Kung Fu techniques. This allows students of Kempo achieve a level where they can defend themselves or fight in a relatively short amount of time (a few years rather than a decade or more).

Because the definition of this word is so fluid, I should make some notes here:

1. Purists in Okinawa will claim that "Okinawa Kenpo" or "Ryukyu Hon Kenpo" is the original and true version of this martial art from the old kingdom. There is actually little or no connection between Okinawa Kenpo and the way the word is used elsewhere.

2. In Chinese, where these characters are pronounced "quan fa" (sometimes Romanized as "chuan fa" because the Chinese-pinyin "q" actually sounds like an English "ch" sound), these characters do not hold the connotation of being a mixed martial art. It is simply defined as "the law of the fist."

3. In my Japanese dictionary, it oddly defines Kenpo as "Chinese art of self-defense." I personally don't feel this is the most common way that people perceive the word but just something you should know.

níng wéi yù suì bú wéi wǎ quán

This is the long version of a Chinese proverb which means, "rather be shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery."

A little more explanation:
Death is implied with the "broken" meaning. Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, and in this case is compared with one's honor and self-worth. Pottery is just something you eat off of, it has no deep value, just as a person who has lost their honor, or had none to begin with.
Thus, this means, "better to die with honor than to live in shame" or words to that effect.

This is often translated in English as "Death Before Dishonor," the famous military slogan.

I would also compare this to the English proverb, "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees."

This is an idiom. It therefore doesn't directly say exactly what it means. If you think about the English idiom, "The grass is always greener," it does not directly say "jealousy" or "envy" but everyone knows that it is implied.

yǒng gǎn

yuu kan

용감

勇敢 is about courage is bravery in the face of fear. You do the right thing even when it is hard or scary. When you are courageous, you don't give up. You try new things. You admit mistakes. This kind of courage is the willingness to take action in the face of danger and peril.

勇敢 can also be translated as: braveness, valor, heroic, fearless, boldness, prowess, gallantry, audacity, daring, dauntless and/or courage in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. This version of bravery/courage can be an adjective or a noun. The first character means bravery and courage by itself. The second character means "daring" by itself. The second character just emphasizes the meaning of the first but adds an idea that you are not afraid of taking a dare, and you are not afraid of danger.

勇敢 is about brave behavior versus the mental state of being brave. You'd more likely use this to say, "He fought courageously in the battle," rather than "He is very courageous."

yǒng qì

yuuki

용기

There are several ways to express bravery and courage in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. This version is the most spiritual. 勇氣 is the essence of bravery from deep within your being. 勇氣 is the mental state of being brave versus actual brave behavior. You'd more likely use this to say, "He is very courageous," rather than "He fought courageously in the battle."

The first character also means bravery or courage when it's seen alone. With the second character added, an element of energy or spirit is added. The second character is the same "chi" or "qi" energy that Kung Fu masters focus when they strike. For this reason, you could say this means "spirit of courage" or "brave spirit."

勇氣 is certainly a stronger word than just the first character alone.

Beyond bravery or courage, dictionaries also translate this word as valor/valour, nerve, audacity, daring, pluck, plucky, gallantry, guts, gutsy and boldness.

勇氣 is also one of the 8 key concepts of tang soo do.

While the version shown to the left is commonly used in Chinese and Korean Hanja (and ancient Japanese Kanji), please note that the second character is written with slightly fewer strokes in modern Japanese. If you want the modern Japanese version, please click on the character to the right. Both styles would be understood by native Chinese, Japanese, and many (but not all) Korean people. You should make your selection based on the intended audience for your calligraphy artwork. Or pick the single-character form of bravery/courage which is universal.

jī dū jiào

kirisutokyou

기독교

基督教 is the Chinese, Japanese and Korean word for "Christianity." Just as in English, this word is often used to mean "Protestant" but includes Catholics in the true definition.

It is the word used to refer to the whole "Christian religion" or "Christian Faith" and therefore, it can be translated as "Christianity." However, used as an adjective in regards to a person, it would translate as "Christian." But more like saying "His religion is Christianity" rather than a noun form.

If you break it apart, the characters mean Base/Foundation Leading/Supervising Religion/Teaching. It makes more sense in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. The first two characters together are translated as "Christ." So you can also say this means "Christ's Religion" or "Christ's Teachings" when directly translated, or in reverse, "The Religion of Christ" or "The Teaching of Christ."

Notes: The last character has a slight difference in one stroke - however, in calligraphic form, this will not be apparent. This entry can easily be read by any Korean person who knows Hanja characters (Chinese characters used in Korean).

See Also:  Jesus Christ | God of Abraham

kōng wú

kuu mu

공무

空無 is "nothingness" in a Buddhist context.

The first character means empty but can also mean air or sky (air and sky have no form).

The second character means have not, no, none, not or to lack.

Together these characters reinforce each other into a word that means "absolute nothingness."

I know this is a term used in Buddhism but I have not yet figured out the context in which it is used. I suppose it can be the fact that Buddhists believe that the world in a non-real illusion, or perhaps it's about visualizing yourself as "nothing" and therefore leaving behind your desire and worldliness.
Buddhist concepts and titles often have this element of ambiguity or rather "mystery." Therefore, such ideas can have different meanings to different people, and that's okay. If you don't get it right in this lifetime, as there will be plenty more lifetimes to master it (whatever "it" is, and if "it" really exists at all).

Soothill defines this as "Unreality, or immateriality, of things, which is defined as nothing existing of independent or self-contained nature."

xiān shēng

sen sei

선생

If you've taken even a single karate class in your life, you know this term. 先生 is sensei, which is associated in the west with a master or instructor of karate, aikido, judo, and other Japanese martial arts.

In reality, this is a term of respect for almost any professional or skilled person (doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc). In some cases, it is used for musicians and artists who have achieved a certain level of fame, skill, or accomplishment.

It should be noted that this is also a courtesy title in Chinese but more like calling someone "mister" or "gentleman." It doesn't really have the "master" or "teacher" meaning in Chinese - see our Chinese "Master / Sifu / Shi Fu" entry if your audience is Chinese.

In Korean Hanja, this means teacher, instructor, schoolmaster, or schoolmistress.

This entry is more for educational purposes. 先生 is kind of a strange thing to put on a wall scroll. It's a title that is used more orally to show respect, rather than something written in calligraphy. If you feel that it is appropriate in your circumstances, we are very willing to create a piece of sensei Japanese calligraphy artwork for you.

cán xīn

zan shin

First off, this should only be used in context of Japanese martial arts. In Chinese, it's a rather sad title (like a broken heart). In Chinese, the first character alone means destroyed, spoiled, ruined, injured, cruel, oppressive, savage, incomplete, disabled. However, in Japanese, it's remainder, leftover, balance, or lingering.
The second character means heart, mind, soul, or essence in both languages.

殘心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: The spirit of zanshin is the state of the remaining or lingering spirit. It is often described as a sustained and heightened state of awareness and mental follow-through. However, true zanshin is a state of focus or concentration before, during, and after the execution of a technique, where a link or connection between uke and nage is preserved. Zanshin is the state of mind that allows us to stay spiritually connected, not only to a single attacker but to multiple attackers and even an entire context; a space, a time, an event.

In modern Japan (and Simplified Chinese), they use a different version of the first character, as seen to the right. Click on this character to the right instead of the button above if you want this modern Japanese version of lingering mind / zanshin.

fu dou shin

부동심

不動心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet.

Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: An unshakable mind and an immovable spirit is the state of fudoshin. It is courage and stability displayed both mentally and physically. Rather than indicating rigidity and inflexibility, fudoshin describes a condition that is not easily upset by internal thoughts or external forces. It is capable of receiving a strong attack while retaining composure and balance. It receives and yields lightly, grounds to the earth, and reflects aggression back to the source.

Other translations of this title include imperturbability, steadfastness, keeping a cool head in an emergency, or keeping one's calm (during a fight).

The first two Kanji alone mean immobility, firmness, fixed, steadfastness, motionless, idle.

The last Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.

Together, these three Kanji create a title that is defined as "immovable mind" within the context of Japanese martial arts. However, in Chinese it would mean "motionless heart" and in Korean Hanja, "wafting heart" or "floating heart."

tái quán dào

te kon do

태권도

跆拳道 is one of the most widespread types of martial arts in the world as well as being an Olympic sport. Taekwondo was born in Korea with influences of Chinese and Japanese styles, combined with traditional Korean combat skills. Some will define it as the "Korean art of empty-handed self-defense."

In the simplest translation, the first character means "kick," the second character can mean either "fist" or "punching" the third means "way" or "method." Altogether, you could say this is "Kick Punch Method." When heard or read in various Asian languages, all will automatically think of this famous Korean martial art. It is written the same in Japanese Kanji, Chinese, and Korean Hanja characters - so the appearance of the characters are rather universal. However, you should note that there is another way to write this in modern Korean Hangul characters which looks like the image to the right.

We suggest the original Korean Hanja (Chinese characters) for a wall scroll but if you really need the Hangul version, you must use master calligrapher Xing An-Ping: Order Taekwondo in Korean Hangul

Note: Taekwondo is sometimes Romanized as Tae-Kwondo, Tae Kwon Do, Taekwon-do, Taegwondo, Tae Gweon Do, Tai Kwon Do, Taikwondo, Taekwando, Tae Kwan Do and in Chinese Taiquandao, Tai Quan Dao, Taichuando, or Tai Chuan Tao.

jiǎo tù sān kū

This speaks to the cunning character of a sly rabbit. Such a rabbit will not have just one hole but rather a few entrances and exits from his liar.

About 2,250 years ago a very rich man told his assistant to go and buy something wonderful that he did not yet posses. He was a man that already had everything, so the assistant went to a local village that owed a great deal of money to the rich man. The assistant told the village elders that all debts were forgiven. All the villagers rejoiced and praised the rich man's name. The assistant returned to the rich man and told him he had purchased "benevolence" for him. The rich man was mildly amused but perhaps a bit confused by the action.

Some time later, the rich man fell from the favor of the Emperor, and was wiped out without a penny to his name. One day he was walking aimlessly and stumbled into the village in which the debts had been forgiven. The villagers recognized the man and welcomed him with open arms, clothed, fed, and gave him a place to live.

Without trying, the man had become like the sly and cunning rabbit. When his exit was blocked, he had another hole to emerge from - and was reborn. This story and idiom comes from a book titled "The Amendment" - it's unclear whether this man actually existed or not. But the book did propel this idiom into common use in China.

Still today this idiom about the rabbit is used in China when suggesting "backup plans" alternate methods, and anyone with a good escape plan.

shindofuni / shindofuji

신토불이

身土不二 (Shindofuni) is originally a Buddhist concept or proverb referring to the inseparability of body-mind and geographical circumstances.

身土不二 literally reads, "Body [and] earth [are] not two".

Other translations or matching ideas include:
Body and land are one.
Body and earth can not be separated.
Body earth sensory curation.
You are what you eat.
Indivisibility of the body and the land (because the body is made from food and food is made from the land).

Going further, this speaks of our human bodies and the land from which we get our food being closely connected. This phrase is used often when talking about natural and organic vegetables coming directly from the farm to provide the healthiest foods in Japan.

Character notes: 身(shin) in this context does not just mean your physical body rather a concept including both body and mind.
土 (do) refers to soil, earth, clay, land, or in some cases, locality. It's not the proper name of Earth, the planet. However, in can refer to the land or realm we live in.

Japanese note: This has been used in Japan, on and off since 1907 as a slogan for a governmental healthy eating campaign (usually pronounced as shindofuji instead of the original shindofuni in this context). It may have been hijacked from Buddhism for this propaganda purpose, but at least this is "healthy propaganda."

Korean note: The phrase 身土不二 was in use by 1610 A.D. in Korea where it can be found in an early medical journal.
In modern South Korea, it's written in Hangul as 신토불이. Korea used Chinese characters (same source for Japanese Kanji) as their only written standard form of the language until about a hundred years ago. Therefore, many Koreans will recognize 身土不二 as a native phrase and concept.

See Also:  Strength and Love in Unity

jiàn shù

kenjutsu

검술

In Japanese, the modern definition, using simple terms is "A martial art involving swords" or "The art of the sword." However, in Chinese, this is the word for fencing (as in the Olympic sport).

I will suppose that you want this for the Japanese definition which comes from skills and techniques developed in the 15th century. At that time, Kenjutsu (or swordsmanship) was a strictly military art taught to Samurai and Bushi (soldiers). The fact that swords are rarely used in military battles anymore, and with the pacification of Japan after WWII, Kenjutsu is strictly a ceremonial practice often studied as a form of martial art (more for the discipline aspect rather than practical purpose).

Language note: The Korean definition is close the Japanese version described above. However, it should be noted that this can mean "fencing" depending on context in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Character alternative notes: Japanese tend to write the second Kanji in the form shown to the right. It is a very slight difference, and the two forms were merged under the same computer font code point (thus, you will not see the Japanese version in Kanji images shown during the options selection process). If you choose our Japanese Master Calligrapher, this will be automatically written in the proper Japanese form.
Since there are about 5 common ways to write the sword character, if you are particular about which version you want, please note that in the "special instructions" when you place your order.

Romanization note: This term is often Romanized as Kenjitsu, however, following the rules of Japanese Romaji, it should be Kenjutsu.

ài shì héng jiǔ rěn nài yòu yǒu én cí ài shì bú jì dù ài shì bú zì kuā bù zhāng kuáng

愛是恆久忍耐又有恩慈愛是不嫉妒愛是不自誇不張狂 is 1st Corinthians 13:4 in Chinese.

With large "love" character in Xing An-Ping's "Personal Lishu" style.

In English, this reads:

1st Corinthians 13:4 (KJV) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up...

1st Corinthians 13:4 (NIV) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1st Corinthians 13:4 (Basic English) Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride.

The Chinese translation follows the love meaning, rather than the King James use of "charity." I was a little confused when writing this description with the significant differences between the NIV vs. KJV translations. After speaking to a Greek scholar about this, it would seem that the KJV has an almost errant translation with the use of "charity" in place of "love."

We used the most popular Christian Chinese Bible, which is the Chinese Union Version (CUV). The CUV was first published in 1919. We use this so that the Chinese translation would be as accurate and standard as possible. Any Chinese Christian worth their salt will easily be able to identify this verse when they see these characters.

If you want a big "love" character written above the verse on your artwork, just make a note in the "special instructions" tab when you are customizing your artwork. There is no extra charge for that service on this special verse.

qì gōng

kikou

기공

Qigong is the title of a technique that is somewhere between a medical practice, meditation, and in some cases a religion. The definition is blurred depending on which school of Qigong you are following. In some cases, it is even incorporated with martial arts.

Some people (even Chinese people) mix this title with Tai Chi (Tai Qi) exercises.

Lately in China, people will claim to practice Tai Chi rather than Qigong because the Qigong title was recently used as a cover for an illegal pseudo-religious movement in China with the initials F.G. or F.D. (I can not write those names here for fear of our website being banned in China).

You can learn those names and more here: Further info about Qigong

If you are wondering about why I wrote "Qi Gong" and "Chi Kung" as the title of this calligraphy entry, I should teach you a little about the various ways in which Chinese can be Romanized. One form writes this as "Chi Kung" or "Chikung" (Taiwan). In the mainland and elsewhere, it is Romanized as "Qi Gong" or "Qigong." The actual pronunciation is the same in Taiwan, mainland, and Singapore Mandarin. Neither Romanization is exactly like English. If you want to know how to say this with English rules, it would be something like "Chee Gong" (but the "gong" has a vowel sound like the "O" in "go").

Romanization is a really confusing topic and has caused many Chinese words to be mispronounced in the west. One example is "Kung Pao Chicken" which should actually be more like "Gong Bao" with the "O" sounding like "oh" for both characters. Neither system of Romanization in Taiwan or the Mainland is perfect in my opinion and lead to many misunderstandings.

hé qì dào

ai ki do

합기도

Hapkido is a mostly-defensive martial art of Korea. It has some connection to Aikido of Japan. In fact, they are written with the same characters in both languages. However, it should be noted that the Korean Hanja characters shown here are the traditional Chinese form - but in modern Japan, the middle character was slightly simplified.
Note: You can consider this to be the older Japanese written form of Aikido. Titles on older books and signs about Aikido use this form.

The connection between Japanese Aikido and Korean Hapkido is a bit muddled in history. 合氣道 is probably due to the relationship between the two countries - especially during WWII when many Koreans became virtual slaves for the Japanese (many Koreans are still bitter about that, so many things were disassociated from having any Japanese origin).

Looking at the characters, the first means "union" or "harmony."
The second character means "universal energy" or "spirit."
The third means "way" or "method."
One way to translate this into English is "Harmonizing Energy Method." This makes since, as Hapkido has more to do with redirecting energy, rather that fighting with strength against strength.

More Hapkido info

More notes:
1. Sometimes Hapkido is Romanized as "hap ki do," "hapki-do" "hab gi do" or "hapgido."

2. Korean Hanja characters are actually Chinese characters that usually hold the same meaning in both languages. There was a time when these characters were the standard and only written form of Korean. The development of modern Korean Hangul characters is a somewhat recent event in the greater scope of history. There was a time when Chinese characters were the written form of many languages in places known in modern times as North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, and a significant portion of Malaysia. Even today, more people in the world can read Chinese characters than can read English.

3. While these Korean Hanja characters can be pronounced in Chinese, this word is not well-known in China and is not considered part of the Chinese lexicon.