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2. Great Aspirations / Ambition
4. Bamboo Moon
7. Best
10. Bruce Lee
11. Che Guevara
12. Conqueror
13. Corinthians 13:4
14. Crazy / Mad
17. Religious Devotion / Faith in God / Religious Faith
18. Earth
19. Fear No Evil
20. Fire Dragon
21. Five Elements
23. Gemma
24. Generosity
26. Green Plum and Bamboo Horse
27. Heath
28. Glory and Honor
29. Islam
30. A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step
32. Kenpo / Kempo / Quan Fa / Chuan Fa
33. Kingfisher
34. Kitten / Young Cat / Little Cat
35. Contentment
37. Lamb
39. Little Dragon
40. Live Laugh Love
41. Love Your Children, But Discipline Them Too
42. Martial Morality / Martial Arts Ethics / Virtue
43. Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do
44. Missy
46. Nature in Balance / Balanced Nature
47. Optimistic
48. No Pain No Gain
49. Appreciation and Love for Your Parents
50. Penis
51. Phenomenon
52. Prayer / Praying
55. Pug / Pekingese
57. Read 10,000 Books, Travel 10,000 Miles
58. The Red String
59. Riko / Yuriko / Noriko / Satoshi
60. Rose Flowers Given, Frangrance Remains on Hands of Giver
61. Shaolin
63. Shaolin Chan
64. Strength: Strong and Solid
66. Student
67. Tatu
68. Thankfulness
69. Tibet
70. Tolerance
71. Tuna
75. Wing Chun
76. Work Unselfishly for the Common Good
77. Yoshi
80. Seeker of Wisdom
81. Don’t Panic
84. Order From Chaos
86. Sen
87. Shaolin Disciple
88. Xiaoxiao
鴻鵠之誌 is a Chinese proverb that implies that having grand ambitions also means that others will not understand your great expectations and ideas.
Though the actual words come from a longer saying of Confucius, which goes, “The little swallows living under the eaves wouldn't understand the lofty ambitions of a swan (who flies far and wide).”
This Confucius quote has led to this idiomatic expression in China that means “think big.” What you'd be saying is “The lofty ambitions of a swan.”
Note that Chinese people sometimes refer to the little swallow as one who does not “think big” but is, instead, stuck in a rut or just leading a mundane life. Therefore, it's a compliment to be called a swan but not a good thing to be called a swallow.
平 is a single character that means balance in Chinese but it's not too direct or too specific about what kind of balance.
Chinese people often like calligraphy art that is a little vague or mysterious. In this way, you can decide what it means to you, and you'll be right.
平 is also part of a word that means peace in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.
Some alternate translations of this single character include: balanced, peaceful, calm, equal, even, level, smooth, or flat.
Note that in Japanese, this just means “level” or “flat” by itself (not the best choice for balance if your audience is Japanese).
月竹 is the title, “Bamboo Moon” - Technically, it's in the order of “moon bamboo,” but that's the most natural order in Chinese and Japanese.
With a little research, I found this title has been used as the name of a linen company, a band, a song title, an actual person's name, the title for a piece of artwork featuring bamboo with a moon in the background, and a few other things. I added it here because many people searched for “bamboo moon” on my website, so here it is for you.
The typical Japanese pronunciation would probably be "tsu-ki ta-ke." However, this would not be the only possible pronunciation in Japanese (especially if used as a given name).
日本晴 is a Japanese Kanji title that means beautiful weather, clear and cloudless sky, or clear weather.
It's a little odd, but if you literally translated this phrase, it says, “Japanese weather,” as if that was an indication of perfect weather (maybe a little arrogant on behalf of Japan - I've experienced a monsoon there, which was unpleasant).
至 is a little strange as calligraphy, but 至 would be the character that means “best” or “extreme” in Chinese and Korean.
The problem is, this is seldom used alone. It's mostly used in combination with other characters to make words like “best friend,” “best food,” and “best love.”
I do not recommend this character for a wall scroll. It's better if you find a more specific term that fits your circumstances.
Note: This can be pronounced in Japanese and has a similar meaning but it is rarely if ever used in modern Japanese.
Dwarf Tree Culture
盆栽 is the word that refers to the culture, hobby, and to miniature trees themselves that have become popular around the world.
Like many things, this art migrated from China to Japan some time ago, but we tend to associate it with Japanese culture and even use the Japanese word in English.
Granted, in the present day, this hobby seems to be more popular in Japan but still has a great following in China and even a little in Korea as well.
Note: Many people confuse the title of the bonsai tree with “banzai” which is a form of “hooray” in Japanese. I have also seen it misspelled as “bansai.” The correct Romanization (Romaji) is “bonsai.”
Better to be broken jade than unbroken pottery
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.”
寧為玉碎 says 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.
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 to live on your knees.”
Better to be broken jade than unbroken pottery
寧為玉碎不為瓦全 is the long version of a Chinese proverb that 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.
寧為玉碎不為瓦全 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 to 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.
李小龍 is the real full name of Bruce Lee.
Many people have no idea that Bruce Lee had a “real” Chinese name. In Mandarin and Cantonese, he is known as “Lǐ XiǎoLóng” and “Léi SíuLùng” respectively.
He kept his family name pronunciation (Li = Lee). 李 is a common family name that also means “plum.”
His given name 小龍 (Xiao-Long), literally means “little dragon.” 李小龍 is why you often see the character for dragon associated with Bruce Lee on various posters etc.
For a pronunciation lesson, the “X” in Romanized Mandarin is pronounced like a “sh” sound but with your tongue at the bottom of your mouth. The vowel sound in “Long” is like the English “oh,” not like the “ah” sound in the English word “long.”
If you are a big Bruce Lee fan, you should know this information, and you should have this wall scroll hanging in your room or martial arts studio.
Note: Japanese use these same Chinese characters / Kanji to write Bruce Lee's real name (with different pronunciation - which is a bit like how the name “Bruce Lee” sounds in English).
See Also: Kung Fu | Martial Arts
Latin American / Cuban Revolutionary
切格瓦拉 is the name “Che Guevara,” as written (transliterated) in Mandarin Chinese.
Once revered by Chinese people as a Socialist rebel, he's now just a historical figure that school children briefly learn about in China.
切格瓦拉 is because China used to be a truly-Communist/Socialist nation, and thus, other Communists and Socialists were heroes.
In modern China, with its free-market economy, those former heroes fade a little.
We are not offering the “Che” character alone, as few would associate it with Che Guevara, so you need the full name to be clear (minus Ernesto, which is his real first name).
勝利者 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for victor, winner, or conqueror.
While there are other ways to write conqueror, this is probably the most common and poetic. However, this is a little strange for calligraphy artwork.
All you need to know about LOVE
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 added.
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.
髮狂 is the nicest/coolest way to write “crazy” in Chinese.
There are several other ways to express “insane” or “mentally disturbed,” but they are either clinical terms or very serious afflictions.
髮狂 is not a great or normal selection for a wall scroll. Please only order this if you want this idea for some personal reason.
To put it another way: It's a little crazy to have a “crazy” wall scroll.
This phrase means “Old and ailing with little time left” or “Not long for this world.”
There is a real suggestion here that someone will die soon.
This was added by a special request of a customer and is perhaps, not the most positive phrase that you could put on a wall scroll.
This would be the most offensive possible gift to give to an older person - please do not do that!
You can die or kill, but never dishonor or disgrace yourself
可殺不可辱 almost directly matches the idea of “Death Before Dishonor” while also being an ancient Chinese proverb.
The direct meaning is, “[you] can die/kill [but you] cannot [allow] dishonor/disgrace [upon yourself].” 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 many ways to express ideas similar to “Death Before Dishonor” in Chinese, and I would rate this one in the top two.
A soldier can die or kill, but never dishonor or disgrace himself
士可殺不可辱 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, becoming a five-character proverb (the soldier/warrior part is implied, even without the character being present in the proverb). We also offer a shorter version.
信仰 means firm belief, faith, persuasion, conviction, and sometimes religion or creed in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This clearly fits the religious connotation of the English word “devotion.”
This is often used to refer to a person of faith or a religious person.
This can be directly translated as “firm belief,” “creed,” “conviction,” or simply as “religious,” depending on context.
Some will also use this to mean “trust in God” in Japanese (though the term for God is not actually in this title).
It should be noted that this word is a little strange alone on a wall scroll.
While this can be pronounced in Japanese, it’s not a great selection for a wall scroll if your audience is Japanese.
See Also: Faith | Trust | Devotion | Trust | Trust in God
(Used in Japanese version of five elements)
地 is the single-character element and title of the planet Earth in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.
Because this is a single character, the definition is a little ambiguous and can have many meanings depending on the context in which it is used. These meanings include: earth, ground, land, soil, dirt, place, territory, bottom (of a package, book, etc.), earth (one of the Japanese five elements), the region in question, the local area, skin, texture, fabric, material, weave, base, background, one's true nature, narrative (i.e. descriptive part of a story), real life, actuality, etc.
In Japanese, this Kanji can be pronounced several ways, including chi, ji, tsushi, or tsuchi.
地 is also an element of the Japanese version of the five elements (the original Chinese version uses a different version of earth).
不怕邪惡 literally means “no fear of evil” in Chinese.
Chinese grammar and word order are a little different than English. 不怕邪惡 is the best way to write something that means “fear no evil” in Chinese.
The first character means “not,” “don't” or “no.”
The second means “fear.”
The last two mean “evil” but can also be translated as sinister, vicious, wickedness, or just “bad.”
地水火風空 is the specifically-Japanese version of the five elements.
This is a little different than the ancient or original Chinese version.
The elements are written in this order:
1. Earth / Terra / Ground
2. Water
3. Fire
4. Wind / Air
5. Sky / Emptiness / Void / Ether
Note: This set of Kanji can also be romanized as “ji sui ka fuu kuu,” “jisuikafuukuu,” or “jisuikafuku.”
These can also be written in the order 地火風水空 (chi ka sui fuu kuu). Let me know when you place your order if you want the Kanji to be in this character order.
堅忍 means persistent, steadfast, fortitude, and/or perseverance.
The first character means strong, solid, firm, unyielding, or resolute.
The second character means to beat, endure, or tolerate.
Together they speak of the strength from within yourself. Some may also translate this as long-suffering in a more Biblical sense.
堅忍 is a common term in Chinese and Korean Hanja but a little less commonly used in modern Japanese Kanji. For that reason, this selection is best if your audience is Chinese or Korean.
Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write the second Kanji a little differently. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect the form where the little horizontal stroke crosses the vertical stroke. See differences in the images to the right. Technically, they are both the same character, and will be read the same in either language.
(Name - Version 1)
寬大 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean word that means Generosity.
Generosity is giving and sharing. You share freely, not with the idea of receiving something in return. You find ways to give others happiness and give just for the joy of giving. Generosity is one of the best ways to show love and friendship.
寬大 can also be translated as charitable, magnanimity, liberality, or in some contexts, broad-mindedness.
Note: There is a tiny deviation in the first character when written in Japanese. If you choose our Japanese master calligrapher, the little dot on the lower right of the first character will be omitted. With or without the dot, this can be read in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
See Also: Benevolence | Altruism | Charity
I was going to write this phrase as “God is with me always” but as a wall scroll, hanging in your room, it is talking to you (you're not talking), so it works better with you.
上帝總是與你同在 is a nice phrase that any Chinese Christian would enjoy on his/her wall.
If I annotate this, it sounds a little strange in English but it's perfectly natural in Chinese:
上帝 God | 总是 always | 与 and | 你 you | 同 together | 在 existing
Innocent Children's Games
青梅竹馬 means “green plums and hobby-horse.”
Figuratively, it means “innocent children's games,” “childhood sweethearts,” or “a couple who grew up as childhood friends.”
This phrase may sound a little strange as it's a kind of Chinese proverb or idiom. It makes much more sense in Chinese than in English.
榮 relates to giving someone a tribute or praise.
It's a little odd as a gift, so this may not be the best selection for a wall scroll.
I've made this entry because this character is often misused as “honorable” or “keeping your honor.” It's not quite the same meaning, as this usually refers to a tribute or giving an honor to someone.
榮 is often found in tattoo books incorrectly listed as the western idea of personal honor or being honorable. Check with us before you get a tattoo that does not match the meaning you are really looking for. As a tattoo, this suggests that you either have a lot of pride in yourself or that you have a wish for prosperity for yourself and/or your family.
In modern Japanese Kanji, glory and honor look like the image to the right.
There is a lot of confusion about this character, so here are some alternate translations for this character: prosperous, flourishing, blooming (like a flower), glorious beauty, proud, praise, rich, or it can be the family name “Rong.” The context in which the character is used can change the meaning between these various ideas.
In the old days, this could be an honor paid to someone by the Emperor (basically a designation by the Emperor that a person has high standing).
To sum it up: 榮 has a positive meaning; however, it's a different flavor than the idea of being honorable and having integrity.
(phonetic version)
伊斯蘭教 both means and sounds like “Islam” in Mandarin Chinese.
The first three characters sound like the word “Islam,” and the last character means “religion” or “teaching.” It's the most general term for “Islam” in China. The highest concentration of Muslims in China is Xinjiang (the vast region in northwest China that was called The East Turkistan Republic until 1949 and is sometimes called Chinese Turkistan, Uyghuristan). Here you will find Uygurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and others that are descendants of Turkmen (possibly mixed with Persians and Arabs). Many of their ancestors were traders who traveled the silk road to buy and sell spices and silk and exchange other goods from the Orient and the Middle East.
I spent some time in Xinjiang and got to know this community. They are strong people who can endure much. They are friendly and love to have a good time. I was a stranger but was treated by villagers (near China's border with Afghanistan) as if I was a good friend.
However, I have heard that it's best not to cross them, as in this land, the law is the blade, and everything is “eye for an eye.” The Chinese government has little control in Xinjiang, with almost no police officers except in the capital of Urumqi (so it's a 60-hour roundtrip train ride to seek the aid of law enforcement in most cases).
While few seem devout, there are at least small mosques in every village. And you will never see a man or woman outside without a head covering.
It should be noted that these people are all citizens of China, but they are officially of the Caucasian race. A visit to Xinjiang will change your idea of what it means to be Chinese.
柔術 has been somewhat incorrectly spelled and pronounced “Jujitsu” for some time in the English-speaking world. The correct Japanese Romaji is Jujutsu or Juujutsu.
A little background on the word: By combining the Kanji pronounced “Ju” (which means flexible, pliable, gentle, yielding) with the Kanji pronounced “Jutsu” (which means art or technique), we get a meaning that can be translated as “flexible technique,” “gentle art” or “yielding technique.”
柔術 does make sense in Chinese as well, although pronounced “rou shu” in China.
The Jujutsu system has a history in Japan that started well before the 1600s. Some see this style as a variation of the “Empty Hand Method” (Karate-do). Even the samurai of old used some Jujutsu methods in defending themselves with their unarmed hands against weapons that could pierce their heavy armor.
There are convoluted relationships between various schools and systems of martial arts, but it's generally accepted that Jujutsu led to the development of Judo and a few other variations.
拳法 is a form of martial arts that can be translated in several ways.
Some will call it “fist principles,” “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 than 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 to 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. It 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. My Japanese dictionary oddly defines Kenpo as the “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.
知足 means content with one's situation or to know contentment (hence happiness).
From the Zen Buddhist context, Chisoku or 知足 (knowing what’s enough) means always to know and be
satisfied with one’s lot.
Human pain and suffering are born of greed, and that greed arises because we do not know what’s enough.
The Chinese philosopher, Menzi (372-289 BCE) said, “to nourish the mind, there is nothing better than to make the desires few.”
This relays the idea that the best method to cultivate the mind is to have little desire.
功夫 or Kung Fu is one of the most famous types of martial arts in the world - and not just because of Bruce Lee.
Some translate the meaning as “Accomplishment by Great Effort.” I think this is partially true, but directly translated, it literally means “Merit/Achievement/Accomplishment Man.” The word “fu” can sometimes mean “husband” or “porter,” but in this case, it can only mean “man.” However, few in China will think “man” when they hear the word “Gong Fu” spoken.
This term is also used for things other than martial arts. In fact, it's used to refer to a person with excellent skills in crafts that require a lot of effort to master, such as cooking, tea ceremonies, and calligraphy.
What a lot of people don't know is that the spelling of “Kung Fu” was actually taken from the old Wade Giles form of Romanization. Using this method, the sounds of the English “G” and “K” were both written as “K” and an apostrophe after the “K” told you it was supposed to sound like a “G.” Nobody in the west knew this rule, so most people pronounce it with a “K-sound.” And so, Gong Fu will always be Kung Fu for most westerners.
Also, just to educate you a little more, the “O” in “Gong” has a sound like the English word “oh.”
The popular Chinese dish “Kung Pao Chicken” suffers from the same problem. It should actually be “Gong Bao Chicken.”
Historical note: Many will claim that Kung Fu was invented by the monks of the Shaolin monastery. This fact is argued in both directions by scholars of Chinese history. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the Shaolin Monks brought the original fame to Kung Fu many generations ago.
Japanese note: While most Japanese martial artists will recognize these characters, Katakana is more often used to approximate the pronunciation of "Kung Fu" with "カンフー." Some will argue as to whether this should be considered a Japanese word at all.
See Also: Bruce Lee
In English, the word order shown in the title is the most natural or popular. In Chinese, the natural order is a little different:
The first character means laugh (sometimes means smile).
The second character means love.
The last two characters mean “live” as in “to be alive” or “pursue life.”
Please note: 笑愛生活 is not a normal phrase in that it does not have a subject, verb, or object. It is a word list. Word lists are not common in Asian languages/grammar (at least not as normal as in English). We only added this entry because so many people requested it.
We put the characters in the order shown above, as it almost makes a single word with the meaning “A life of laughter and love.” It's a made-up word, but it sounds good in Chinese.
We removed the Japanese pronunciation guide from this entry, as the professional Japanese translator deemed it "near nonsense" from a Japanese perspective. Choose this only if your audience is Chinese and you want the fewest-possible characters to express this idea.
In Korean, this would be 소애생활 or "so ae saeng hwar" but I have not confirmed that this makes sense in Korean.
This refers to the virtue, morality, and ethics that any practitioner of martial arts should possess.
This can be used in both Chinese and Japanese in place of English terms such as “soldierly virtue,” “good conduct” (military), “warrior ethics,” and being honorable regarding any fight or competition.
In Japanese, there is a slight variation in the last character, making it 武徳 instead of 武德 in Japan. And yes, just one little horizontal stroke is omitted. If you need the Japanese version, please choose a Japanese calligrapher, or drop me a note so that I make sure you get the characters you intend.
See Also: Morality of Mind | Morality of Deed
鬆林流空手道 is the Japanese title for the Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.
If directly translated, it means “Pine Forest Style Empty Hand Way.”
Notes:
1. 松林流 can be pronounced Matsubayashi-Ryū or Shōrin-Ryū. This can be confusing as Shōrin can also represent 少林 which refers to the Shaolin (little forest) style.
2. 松 can also be written in the traditional form of 鬆.
媽 is the oral way that most Chinese people refer to their mothers. Often, they will put this together twice (two of the same character in a row) to create a word that sounds like “Mama.” That's absolutely what little kids call their mothers in China. This Chinese “Mama” is the rough equivalent of “Mommy” in English. Beyond a certain age, Chinese will start to just say “Ma,” which is like saying “Mom.”
This entry is just here for a language lesson. This would make a strange wall scroll by Chinese standards. In Chinese, there are sometimes oral words that don't seem appropriate when written in calligraphy, and this is one of them. See our entry for “Loving Mother” for a better selection.
See Also: Loving Mother | Family
生態平衡 is a title about the way and balance of nature.
The first two characters mean nature or the way of life.
The second two characters mean balance or balanced.
Note: We have two versions of this title on our website. This is the one we recommend, as it is a little more natural (no pun intended).
Beyond optimistic, 豁達 can also be defined as sanguine; magnanimous; open-minded; openhearted; broad-minded.
豁達 is appropriate if you are, or want to be, the kind of person who is not bothered by the little things or minor troubles of life. This signifies a person who always feels things will get better. This is great for the person who figuratively sees a window of opportunity opening even as a door closes.
While a valid word in Japanese, this is kind of antiquated, and not in common use in modern Japan.
Literally: No Pain, No Strength
誰言寸草心報得三春暉 is the last line of a famous poem. It is perceived as a tribute or ode to your parents or mother from a child or children that have left home.
The poem was written by Meng Jiao during the Tang Dynasty (about 1200 years ago). The Chinese title is “You Zi Yin” which means “The Traveler's Recite.”
The last line as shown here speaks of the generous and warm spring sunlight which gives the grass far beyond what the little grass can could ever give back (except perhaps by showing its lovely green leaves and flourishing). The metaphor is that the sun is your mother or parents, and you are the grass. Your parents raise you and give you all the love and care you need to prepare you for the world. A debt that you can never repay, nor is repayment expected.
The first part of the poem (not written in the characters to the left) suggests that the thread in a loving mother's hands is the shirt of her traveling offspring. Vigorously sewing while wishing them to come back sooner than they left.
...This part is really hard to translate into English that makes any sense but maybe you get the idea. We are talking about a poem that is so old that many Chinese people would have trouble reading it (as if it was the King James Version of Chinese).
NOT APPROPRIATE FOR
CUSTOM CALLIGRAPHY
陰莖 is the most common title for penis in Chinese. There are at least 10 more ways to express “penis.”
A colloquial term used commonly in Chinese is “little brother.”
This selection is not appropriate for custom calligraphy. I only added this entry because thousands of people searched for penis on our website. You guys are weird!
Another way to say penis is "male root," pronounced "nán gēn" in Chinese, "dan kon" in Japanese, and 남근 or "nam geun" in Korean. This is shown to the right.
I must first say that 現象 is an odd thing to put on a wall scroll in Asian cultures. It won't make a lot of sense alone unless you have a special or personal meaning that you attach to it for yourself.
These two characters mean phenomenon in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Hanja. They can also be translated as “a happening,” depending on context.
The sum of these characters is a little different than their individual meanings. But I will break it down anyway...
The first character means present, existing, actual, apparent, now, or current.
The second character alone means pattern after, imitate, image, shape, sign (of the times), form, appearance, to be like, to resemble, to take after, to seem, or elephant.
祈禱 is a second way to write “prayer.”
It is a little more formal than “dao gao” but the general meaning is the same.
This Chinese/Japanese/Korean word can be translated as “to pray,” “to say one's prayers,” or simply “prayer.” Like the other common term for prayer, this term generally applies only to western religions that pray to the God of Abraham (Christians, Jews, and Muslims).
入木三分 is a four-character Chinese proverb that translates in English to a strong form of “profound” or “written with a forceful hand.”
But there is much more to the story...
The deep meaning behind this proverb comes from a man named Wan Xizhi, who lived in the third century.
He was a great writer and calligrapher whose writing style influenced generations of other writers and calligraphers.
He once wrote words on a piece of wood to be taken to an engraver.
When the engraver began to carve the characters into the wood, he found that Wang Xizhi's writing had penetrated the wood about 3/8 of an inch.
Thus people believed that his words were so powerful and profound that they caused the ink from his brush to penetrate the wood deeply.
The proverb literally means “penetrated wood three fen” (A fen is an ancient Chinese measurement of a little over 1/8 of an inch or almost 4mm).
興隆 is a kind of prosperity that applies to a business. Something great to hang behind your desk if you are a small or large business owner. Doing so says that you either are a booming business or you wish success and prosperity for your business.
Can also be translated as thriving, flourishing, brisk business, and other words related to prosperity in business.
A good meaning in China but is a little antiquated in Japanese.
See Also: Prosperity
狆 is the shortest way to title the Pekingese, Japanese Spaniel, or Pug breed of dog. This title is a little ambiguous.
狆 is also sometimes romanized as “Chung.”
氣功 or Qigong is the title of a technique that is somewhere between medical practice, meditation, and in some cases, 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 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 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 the Romanization system in Taiwan nor the Mainland is perfect, in my opinion, and leads to many misunderstandings.
In modern Japan, you may see this written as 気功, but the original 氣功 is still recognized. If you need the Japanese version, please contact me.
讀萬卷書行萬里路 is a lifelong suggestion for expanding your horizons by gaining knowledge, experience, and seeing the world.
Of course, this was written long ago when it was hard to travel 10,000 miles (at least 1000 years before the invention of the airplane).
With air travel and the business I'm in, I often achieve that lifetime goal on a monthly basis.
However, I am a little behind in the book count.
Note: An ancient Chinese mile (里 or lǐ) referred to in this proverb is about a third of a British/American mile. However, at that time, this was a great distance to travel.
Thread of Lover's Destiny / Fate
This literally translates as “the red string” or “the red thread” in Japanese, but the real meaning is much deeper...
In Japanese culture, it's believed that fate, destiny, or karma joins lovers by an unseen string, tied around one little finger of each. 赤い糸 is how soul mates find and are drawn to each other.
The Japanese concept of the red thread of fate, by most estimations, comes from Chinese folklore, where it's known as 姻緣紅線. The only difference is that in China, the celestial red thread is tied around the ankles of the lovers (versus what is usually represented as the pinky finger in Japan).
赠人玫瑰手留余香 is a proverb that has been translated several ways:
1. Roses given, fragrance in hand.
2. You present others roses, and the fragrance remains.
3. The fragrance of the rose always remains on the hand of those that bestow them.
4. A little bit of fragrance always clings to the hands which gives the flowers
However, this literally translates as “Give someone rose flowers, [your] hands keep [the] remaining fragrance.”
Little Forest
The 少林 or Shaolin monks of China have been practicing the art of Kung Fu for thousands of years. While there are many schools of Kung Fu in China, Shaolin are one of the more religiously devout and disciplined.
The title of Shaolin actually refers to a specific Buddhist monastery. It should be noted that the Shaolin were famous in China long before the Kung Fu TV show. Their fame in China is due to the monks' heroic and swift rescue of an emperor during the Tang Dynasty. Most Chinese people are not keenly aware of the Kung Fu TV show and have no idea who David Carradine is or anything about his character, Kwai Chang Caine.
Note: The literal meaning of 少林 is “little forest.”
The fame of the Shaolin has spread all over Asia, as even though this is a Chinese title, the same characters are used in Japanese with the same meaning.
少林長拳 is a combination of two titles. The first two characters mean little forest, as in the little forest of the Shaolin monks (shao lin = little forest). The second two characters mean “long fist.”
This title is specific to a particular technique - if you are studying Shaolin Chang Chuan, then you are already aware of all the ramifications.
少林禪 translates as “Little Forest Meditation.”
少林禪 is part of a movement to provide spiritual and mental health by integrating the practices of martial arts and meditation.
More information at Shaolin Chan Foundation.
強固 means firmness, stability, security, and strength in Japanese.
It's not used commonly in China, but it means “powerful,” “firm,” “solid,” “strong,” or “better than others” in Chinese. There is a slight variation in the top of the first character between Chinese and Japanese. Because this is more of a Japanese word, we are showing the Japanese form here.
強固 is also a Korean word, but Korean Hanja uses the Chinese form of the first character (one tiny stroke is a little different), so just let me know if your audience is Korean when you place your order, and we'll have it written in the Chinese/Korean version.
強 is a character that means strong, strength, force, powerful, better, stubborn, and stiff (yes, all of this in one character).
This “strong” has less to do with physical strength and more to do with having a winning attitude, or just having the ability to win at something.
Note that most of the time, this character is pronounced “qiang” but when used with the meaning of stubborn, unyielding, or stiff, it is pronounced “jiang” in Chinese.
Also, sometimes “qiang” is used in modern Chinese to describe people that do crazy things (For example: Bicycling from Beijing to Tibet alone). I sometimes can be found outside my Beijing apartment wearing nothing but shorts and a tee-shirt while eating ice cream during a snow storm, just to hear my neighbors call me “qiang.” Maybe they mean “strong” but perhaps they are using the new meaning of “crazy strong.”
強 can also be a Chinese surname that romanizes as Jiang in the mainland or Chiang if from Taiwan.
強 is a valid Korean Hanja character with the same meaning but is mostly used in compound Korean words.
強 is used in Japanese (though normally in compound words). In Japanese, it has the same meaning but in some contexts can mean “a little more than...” or “a little over [some amount].” Most Japanese would read this as tough, strength, stiff, hard, inflexible, obstinate, or stubborn.
The variant 彊 is sometimes seen in older literature.
學生 is how to write “student” in Chinese, pre-WWII Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
If you are a “student of life,” this might be an interesting wall scroll to hang in your reading room.
The first character means “study” or “learning.”
The second character means “life” or “birth.” Don't read too much into that second character unless you decide that this means “the birth of studies” or “the life of learning.” Everyone in China, Japan (and those who can read Hanja in Korea) will just read this word with the meaning of “student.”
If you put the character for “little” in front of this word, it becomes “elementary school student.” Prefixed with “middle,” it becomes “middle school student.” Prefixed with “big,” it becomes “university student” (though when these two characters for student are seen alone, it often suggests “university student”). The term “high school student” is written differently.
There is a very common simplified version of the first character for this word. You will see this form in modern Japan and mainland China, Singapore, and other places. If you want this simplified version, please click on the character shown to the right instead of the "select and customize" button above.
感激 is thankfulness or being grateful for what you have.
It is an attitude of gratitude for learning, loving, and being. Appreciate the little things that happen around you and within you every day. Think positively. Thankfulness brings contentment.
Different meaning in Japanese - more like "deep emotion," "impression," "inspiration" - not recommended for a Japanese audience.
西藏 is the Chinese and Japanese name for Tibet.
It is a vast area in southwest China for which the Chinese government has little control (except in the capital of Llasa). During your travels in Tibet (outside of Llasa) you will find it is rough country full of ruthless bandits and honorable and upright Living Buddhas. There are about 2000 Living Buddhas in Tibet, and at least 10 times more bandits ready to ambush you on the road or trail.
On the eastern frontier of Tibet, you will find the place designated to be Shangri-la. It's a friendly village of Tibetans and is the gateway to greater Tibet.
The full official Chinese name is Tibet Autonomous Region or 西藏自治區|西藏自治区. The name here, 西藏 is quite old - from several dynasties ago.
Being tolerant is accepting differences. You don't expect others to think, look, speak or act just like you. You are free of prejudice, knowing that all people have feelings, needs, hopes, and dreams. Tolerance is also accepting things you wish were different with patience and flexibility.
寬容 can also be translated as magnanimity, generosity, or leniency.
Note: There is a tiny deviation in the first character when written in Japanese. If you choose our Japanese master calligrapher, the little dot on the lower right of the first character will be omitted. With or without the dot, this can be read in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.
See Also: Patience
鮪 is the Chinese and Japanese character for tuna.
In Chinese, this is usually used to mean the “little tunny” (Euthynnus alletteratus), the most common tuna in the Atlantic Ocean. However, it can refer to any fish of the Thunnus genus.
In Japanese, it can refer to the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis).
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.
酒 is the Chinese character, Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji which means alcohol.
This can refer to wine (esp. rice wine), liquor, spirits, sake, or to alcoholic beverages in general.
In the west, we tend to say “sake” to mean Japanese rice wine, however, this character is a little ambiguous in Japanese. It literally just means alcohol and is often pronounced “shu” in Japanese. Specifically, in Japanese, you might want to ask for “seishu” or 清酒 to get the sake that you are used to in the west. Seishu literally means “clear alcohol.”
A customer asked me to split these Wing Chun maxims into two parts, so he could order a couplet.
It thought this was a good idea, so it's been added here.
Be sure to order both part 1 and part 2 together. They need to be a matched set. It will be incomplete as a single wall scroll. Also, each wall scroll is handmade, so if you order them separately, weeks or months apart, they will vary a little by length, shade of paper, etc.
詠春 is a martial arts technique that has an oral history (versus a written one) so very little can be said for sure about its origins.
Wing Chun (or Wing Cheun) is a Chinese martial art that emphasizes short combat strokes.
The characters 詠春 literally mean “Singing Spring” (as in springtime).
If you are wondering, the spelling and pronunciation of this martial arts style in English come from the Cantonese pronunciation of these characters. The second character sounds similar in both Mandarin and Cantonese, but the first is quite different.
Note: This title can be pronounced in Japanese, but only a Japanese practitioner of Wing Chun would recognize or understand this title. It is not considered a Japanese word or martial art at all.
克己奉公 is a Chinese proverb that is often used to express how one should act as a government official. Most of us wish our public officials would hold themselves to higher standards. I wish I could send this scroll, along with the meaning to every member of Congress, and the President (or if I was from the UK, all the members of Parliament, and the PM)
This can also mean: “Place Strict Standards on Oneself in Public Service.”
The story behind this ancient Chinese idiom:
Cai Zun was born in China a little over 2000 years ago. In 24 AD, he joined an uprising led by Liu Xiu, who later became the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Later, the new emperor put Cai Zun in charge of the military court. Cai Zun exercised his power in strict accordance with military law, regardless of the offender's rank or background. He even ordered the execution of one of the emperor's close servants after the servant committed a serious crime.
Cai Zun led a simple life but put great demands on himself to do all things honorably. The emperor rewarded him for his honest character and honorable nature by promoting him to the rank of General and granting him the title of Marquis.
Whenever Cai Zun would receive an award, he would give credit to his men and share the reward with them.
Cai Zun was always praised by historians who found many examples of his selfless acts that served the public interest.
Sometime long ago in history, people began to refer to Cai Zun as “ke ji feng gong.”
See Also: Unselfish | Selflessness | Altruism
...as in Zen Buddhism
First, let's correct something: The Japanese romanization for this character, “Zen” has penetrated the English language. In English, it's almost always incorrectly used for phrases like “That's so zen.” Nobody says, “That's so meditation” - right? As the title of a sect, this would be like saying, “That's so Baptist!"
禪 by itself just means “meditation.” In that context, it should not be confined to use by any one religion or sect.
Regardless of the dictionary definition, more often than not, this character is associated with Buddhism. And here is one of the main reasons:
Zen is used as the title of a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, which strongly emphasizes meditation practice.
However, it should be noted that Buddhism came from India, and “Chan Buddhism” evolved and developed in medieval China. The Chinese character “Chan” was eventually pronounced as “Zen” in Japanese. Chan Buddhists in China have much in common with Zen Buddhists in Japan.
More about the history of Zen Buddhism here.
Please also note that the Japanese Kanji character for Zen has evolved a little in Japan, and the two boxes (kou) that you see at the top of the right side of the character have been replaced by three dots with tails.
The original character would still be generally understood and recognized in Japanese (it's considered an ancient version in Japan) but if you want the specifically modern Japanese version, please click on the zen Kanji to the right. Technically, there is no difference between the Tensho and Reisho versions of Zen since they are ancient character styles that existed long before Japan had a written language.
There is also an alternate/shorthand/simplified Chinese version, which has two dots or tails above the right-side radical. This version is also popular for calligraphy in China. If you want this version, just click the character to the right.
Further notes: Zen is just one of seven sects of Buddhism practiced in Japan. The others are 律 Ritsu (or Risshū), 法相 Hossō, 論 Sanron 華嚴 Kegon, 天台 Tendai, and 眞言 Shingon.
尋智者 is a Chinese title that means “Seeker of Wisdom.”
It's a little ambiguous, as you can also read this as “Seeking a Wise Person.”
Whether you are the person seeking wisdom or in the process of seeking a wise person (you will probably gain wisdom from the wise) this short phrase should suit your needs.
パニクるな means Don’t Panic in Japanese.
An homage to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a novel with a cult following that extends just a little into Japan.
The first part, パニク, is a loan word that sounds like panic (paniku) in Japanese Katakana. The last bit, るな, connects the idea of “don't” to the panic.
Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Hiragana and Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
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These search terms might be related to Little:
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Adorable Cute Lovely | 可愛い 可爱い | ka wai i / kawaii | ||
Great Aspirations Ambition | 鴻鵠之誌 鸿鹄之志 | hóng hú zhī zhì hong2 hu2 zhi1 zhi4 hong hu zhi zhi honghuzhizhi | hung hu chih chih hunghuchihchih |
|
Balance Peace | 平 | hira | píng / ping2 / ping | p`ing / ping |
Bamboo Moon | 月竹 | tsuki take / tsukitake | yuè zhú / yue4 zhu2 / yue zhu / yuezhu | yüeh chu / yüehchu |
Beautiful Clear Sky | 日本晴 | nihonbare | ||
Beautiful Soul | 美魂 | bi tamashi / bitamashi | ||
Best | 至 | shi | zhì / zhi4 / zhi | chih |
Bonsai Penzai | 盆栽 | bon sai / bonsai | pén zāi / pen2 zai1 / pen zai / penzai | p`en tsai / pentsai / pen tsai |
Death Before Dishonor | 寧為玉碎 宁为玉碎 | níng wéi yù suì ning2 wei2 yu4 sui4 ning wei yu sui ningweiyusui | ning wei yü sui ningweiyüsui |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 寧為玉碎不為瓦全 宁为玉碎不为瓦全 | níng wéi yù suì bù wéi wǎ quán ning2 wei2 yu4 sui4 bu4 wei2 wa3 quan2 ning wei yu sui bu wei wa quan ningweiyusuibuweiwaquan | ning wei yü sui pu wei wa ch`üan ning wei yü sui pu wei wa chüan |
|
Bruce Lee | 李小龍 李小龙 | bu ruu su ri buruusuri bu ru su ri | lǐ xiǎo lóng li3 xiao3 long2 li xiao long lixiaolong | li hsiao lung lihsiaolung |
Che Guevara | 切格瓦拉 | qiè gé wǎ lā qie4 ge2 wa3 la1 qie ge wa la qiegewala | ch`ieh ko wa la chiehkowala chieh ko wa la |
|
Conqueror | 勝利者 胜利者 | shourisha / shorisha | shèng lì zhě sheng4 li4 zhe3 sheng li zhe shenglizhe | sheng li che shengliche |
Corinthians 13:4 | 愛是恆久忍耐又有恩慈愛是不嫉妒愛是不自誇不張狂 爱是恒久忍耐又有恩慈爱是不嫉妒爱是不自夸不张狂 | ài shì héng jiǔ rěn nài yòu yǒu én cí ài shì bú jì dù ài shì bú zì kuā bù zhāng kuáng ai4 shi4 heng2 jiu3 ren3 nai4 you4 you3 en2 ci2 ai4 shi4 bu2 ji4 du4 ai4 shi4 bu2 zi4 kua1 bu4 zhang1 kuang2 ai shi heng jiu ren nai you you en ci ai shi bu ji du ai shi bu zi kua bu zhang kuang | ai shih heng chiu jen nai yu yu en tz`u ai shih pu chi tu ai shih pu tzu k`ua pu chang k`uang ai shih heng chiu jen nai yu yu en tzu ai shih pu chi tu ai shih pu tzu kua pu chang kuang |
|
Crazy Mad | 髮狂 发狂 | fā kuáng / fa1 kuang2 / fa kuang / fakuang | fa k`uang / fakuang / fa kuang | |
Not Long for this World | 風燭殘年 风烛残年 | fēng zhú cán nián feng1 zhu2 can2 nian2 feng zhu can nian fengzhucannian | feng chu ts`an nien fengchutsannien feng chu tsan nien |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 可殺不可辱 可杀不可辱 | kě shā bù kě rǔ ke3 sha1 bu4 ke3 ru3 ke sha bu ke ru keshabukeru | k`o sha pu k`o ju koshapukoju ko sha pu ko ju |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 士可殺不可辱 士可杀不可辱 | shì kě shā bù kě rǔ shi4 ke3 sha1 bu4 ke3 ru3 shi ke sha bu ke ru shikeshabukeru | shih k`o sha pu k`o ju shihkoshapukoju shih ko sha pu ko ju |
|
Religious Devotion Faith in God Religious Faith | 信仰 | shin kou / shinkou / shin ko | xìn yǎng / xin4 yang3 / xin yang / xinyang | hsin yang / hsinyang |
Earth | 地 | chi / ji / tsushi / tsuchi | dì / di4 / di | ti |
Fear No Evil | 不怕邪惡 不怕邪恶 | bú pà xié è bu2 pa4 xie2 e4 bu pa xie e bupaxiee | pu p`a hsieh o pupahsieho pu pa hsieh o |
|
Fire Dragon | 火龍 火龙 | hi ryuu / hiryuu / hi ryu | huǒ lóng / huo3 long2 / huo long / huolong | huo lung / huolung |
Five Elements | 地水火風空 地水火风空 | chi sui ka fuu kuu chisuikafuukuu chi sui ka fu ku | ||
Perseverance Fortitude | 堅忍 坚忍 | ken nin / kennin | jiǎn rěn / jian3 ren3 / jian ren / jianren | chien jen / chienjen |
Gemma | 吉瑪 吉玛 | jí mǎ / ji2 ma3 / ji ma / jima | chi ma / chima | |
Generosity | 寬大 宽大 | kandai | kuān dà / kuan1 da4 / kuan da / kuanda | k`uan ta / kuanta / kuan ta |
God Is With You Always | 上帝總是與你同在 上帝总是与你同在 | shàn dì zǒng shì yǔ nǐ tóng zài shan4 di4 zong3 shi4 yu3 ni3 tong2 zai4 shan di zong shi yu ni tong zai shandizongshiyunitongzai | shan ti tsung shih yü ni t`ung tsai shan ti tsung shih yü ni tung tsai |
|
Green Plum and Bamboo Horse | 青梅竹馬 青梅竹马 | qīng méi zhú mǎ qing1 mei2 zhu2 ma3 qing mei zhu ma qingmeizhuma | ch`ing mei chu ma chingmeichuma ching mei chu ma |
|
Heath | 西斯 | xī sī / xi1 si1 / xi si / xisi | hsi ssu / hsissu | |
Glory and Honor | 榮 荣 / 栄 | ei | róng / rong2 / rong | jung |
Islam | 伊斯蘭教 伊斯兰教 | yī sī lán jiào yi1 si1 lan2 jiao4 yi si lan jiao yisilanjiao | i ssu lan chiao issulanchiao |
|
A Journey of 1000 Miles Begins with a Single Step | 千里之行始於足下 千里之行始于足下 | qiān lǐ zhī xíng shǐ yú zú xià qian1 li3 zhi1 xing2 shi3 yu2 zu2 xia4 qian li zhi xing shi yu zu xia qianlizhixingshiyuzuxia | ch`ien li chih hsing shih yü tsu hsia chien li chih hsing shih yü tsu hsia |
|
Jujitsu Jujutsu | 柔術 柔术 | juu jutsu / juujutsu / ju jutsu | róu shù / rou2 shu4 / rou shu / roushu | jou shu / joushu |
Kenpo Kempo Quan Fa Chuan Fa | 拳法 | kenpou / kenpo | quán fǎ / quan2 fa3 / quan fa / quanfa | ch`üan fa / chüanfa / chüan fa |
Kingfisher | 川蝉 | kawasemi | ||
Kitten Young Cat Little Cat | 小猫 / 小貓 小猫 | koneko | xiǎo māo / xiao3 mao1 / xiao mao / xiaomao | hsiao mao / hsiaomao |
Contentment | 知足 | chisoku | zhī zú / zhi1 zu2 / zhi zu / zhizu | chih tsu / chihtsu |
Kung Fu Gong Fu | 功夫 | kan fu / ku fu kanfu / kufu | gōng fu / gong1 fu / gong fu / gongfu | kung fu / kungfu |
Lamb | 小羊 | kohitsuji | xiǎo yáng xiao3 yang2 xiao yang xiaoyang | hsiao yang hsiaoyang |
Wise Younger Brother | 賢弟 贤弟 | ken tei / kentei | xián dì / xian2 di4 / xian di / xiandi | hsien ti / hsienti |
Little Dragon | 小龍 小龙 | xiǎo lóng xiao3 long2 xiao long xiaolong | hsiao lung hsiaolung |
|
Live Laugh Love | 笑愛生活 笑爱生活 | xiào ài shēng huó xiao4 ai4 sheng1 huo2 xiao ai sheng huo xiaoaishenghuo | hsiao ai sheng huo hsiaoaishenghuo |
|
Love Your Children, But Discipline Them Too | 愛在心里狠在面皮 / 愛在心里狠在麵皮 爱在心里狠在面皮 | ài zài xīn lǐ hèn zài miàn pì ai4 zai4 xin1 li3 hen4 zai4 mian4 pi4 ai zai xin li hen zai mian pi aizaixinlihenzaimianpi | ai tsai hsin li hen tsai mien p`i ai tsai hsin li hen tsai mien pi |
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Martial Morality Martial Arts Ethics Virtue | 武德 | bu to ku / butoku | wǔ dé / wu3 de2 / wu de / wude | wu te / wute |
Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do | 松林流空手道 | matsu bayashi ryuu kara te dou matsu bayashi ryu kara te do | ||
Missy | 小姐 | xiǎo jiě / xiao3 jie3 / xiao jie / xiaojie | hsiao chieh / hsiaochieh | |
Mama Mother Mommy | 媽 妈 | mā / ma1 / ma | ||
Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 生態平衡 生态平衡 | shēng tài píng héng sheng1 tai4 ping2 heng2 sheng tai ping heng shengtaipingheng | sheng t`ai p`ing heng shengtaipingheng sheng tai ping heng |
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Optimistic | 豁達 豁达 | katsudatsu | huò dá / huo4 da2 / huo da / huoda | huo ta / huota |
No Pain No Gain | 不痛不強 不痛不强 | bú tòng bù qiáng bu2 tong4 bu4 qiang2 bu tong bu qiang butongbuqiang | pu t`ung pu ch`iang putungpuchiang pu tung pu chiang |
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Appreciation and Love for Your Parents | 誰言寸草心報得三春暉 谁言寸草心报得三春晖 | shuí yán cùn cǎo xīn bào dé sān chūn huī shui2 yan2 cun4 cao3 xin1 bao4 de2 san1 chun1 hui1 shui yan cun cao xin bao de san chun hui | shui yen ts`un ts`ao hsin pao te san ch`un hui shui yen tsun tsao hsin pao te san chun hui |
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Penis | 陰莖 / 陰茎 阴茎 | in kei / inkei | yīn jīng / yin1 jing1 / yin jing / yinjing | yin ching / yinching |
Phenomenon | 現象 现象 | genshou / gensho | xiàn xiàng xian4 xiang4 xian xiang xianxiang | hsien hsiang hsienhsiang |
Prayer Praying | 祈禱 祈祷 | kitou / kito | qǐ dǎo / qi3 dao3 / qi dao / qidao | ch`i tao / chitao / chi tao |
Profound Powerful Words | 入木三分 | rù mù sān fēn ru4 mu4 san1 fen1 ru mu san fen rumusanfen | ju mu san fen jumusanfen |
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Prosperous Business | 興隆 兴隆 | kou ryuu / kouryuu / ko ryu | xīng lóng xing1 long2 xing long xinglong | hsing lung hsinglung |
Pug Pekingese | 狆 | chin | zhòng / zhong4 / zhong | chung |
Qi Gong Chi Kung | 氣功 气功 | ki kou / kikou / ki ko | qì gōng / qi4 gong1 / qi gong / qigong | ch`i kung / chikung / chi kung |
Read 10,000 Books, Travel 10,000 Miles | 讀萬卷書行萬里路 读万卷书行万里路 | dú wàn juǎn shū, xíng wàn lǐ lù du2 wan4 juan3 shu1 xing2 wan4 li3 lu4 du wan juan shu xing wan li lu duwanjuanshuxingwanlilu | tu wan chüan shu hsing wan li lu | |
The Red String | 赤い糸 | akai ito / akaiito | ||
Riko Yuriko Noriko Satoshi | 里子 | riko / yuriko / noriko / satoshi / satoko | ||
Rose Flowers Given, Frangrance Remains on Hands of Giver | 贈人玫瑰手留余香 赠人玫瑰手留余香 | zèng rén méi guī shǒu liú yú xiāng zeng4 ren2 mei2 gui1 shou3 liu2 yu2 xiang1 zeng ren mei gui shou liu yu xiang | tseng jen mei kuei shou liu yü hsiang | |
Shaolin | 少林 | sho rin / shorin | shǎo lín / shao3 lin2 / shao lin / shaolin | |
Shaolin Chang Chuan | 少林長拳 少林长拳 | shào lín cháng quán shao4 lin2 chang2 quan2 shao lin chang quan shaolinchangquan | shao lin ch`ang ch`üan shaolinchangchüan shao lin chang chüan |
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Shaolin Chan | 少林禪 少林禅 | sho rin zen shorinzen | shǎo lín chán shao3 lin2 chan2 shao lin chan shaolinchan | shao lin ch`an shaolinchan shao lin chan |
Strength: Strong and Solid | 強固 强固 | kyouko / kyoko | qiáng gù / qiang2 gu4 / qiang gu / qianggu | ch`iang ku / chiangku / chiang ku |
Strong Powerful Force | 強 强 | kyou / kyo | qiáng / qiang2 / qiang | ch`iang / chiang |
Student | 學生 学生 | gakusei | xué shēng xue2 sheng1 xue sheng xuesheng | hsüeh sheng hsüehsheng |
Tatu | 塔圖 塔图 | tǎ tú / ta3 tu2 / ta tu / tatu | t`a t`u / tatu / ta tu | |
Thankfulness | 感激 | kangeki | gǎn jī / gan3 ji1 / gan ji / ganji | kan chi / kanchi |
Tibet | 西藏 | seizou / chibetto seizo / chibetto | xī zàng / xi1 zang4 / xi zang / xizang | hsi tsang / hsitsang |
Tolerance | 寬容 宽容 | kanyou / kanyo | kuān róng kuan1 rong2 kuan rong kuanrong | k`uan jung kuanjung kuan jung |
Tuna | 鮪 鲔 | maguro | wěi / wei3 / wei | |
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 |
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Wine Alcohol Sake | 酒 | sake / shu | jiǔ / jiu3 / jiu | chiu |
Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 2) | 步步追形點點朝午以形補手敗形不敗馬腰馬一致心意合一拳由心發動法無形活人練活死功夫 步步追形点点朝午以形补手败形不败马腰马一致心意合一拳由心发动法无形活人练活死功夫 | |||
Wing Chun | 詠春 咏春 | ei haru / eiharu | yǒng chūn yong3 chun1 yong chun yongchun | yung ch`un yungchun yung chun |
Work Unselfishly for the Common Good | 克己奉公 | kè jǐ fèng gōng ke4 ji3 feng4 gong1 ke ji feng gong kejifenggong | k`o chi feng kung kochifengkung ko chi feng kung |
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Yoshi | 耀西 | yào xī / yao4 xi1 / yao xi / yaoxi | yao hsi / yaohsi | |
Zen Chan Meditation | 禪 禅 | zen | chán / chan2 / chan | ch`an / chan |
Brevity Concise | 簡約 简约 | kanyaku | jiǎn yuē / jian3 yue1 / jian yue / jianyue | chien yüeh / chienyüeh |
Seeker of Wisdom | 尋智者 寻智者 | xún zhì zhě xun2 zhi4 zhe3 xun zhi zhe xunzhizhe | hsün chih che hsünchihche |
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Don’t Panic | パニクるな | pa ni ku ru na panikuruna | ||
Kobayashi Shobayashi | 小林 | shou bayashi / ko bayashi shoubayashi / kobayashi sho bayashi / ko bayashi | xiǎo lín / xiao3 lin2 / xiao lin / xiaolin | hsiao lin / hsiaolin |
Shorin-Ryu Shobukan | 小林流翔武館 | sho rin ryuu sho bu kan shorinryuushobukan sho rin ryu sho bu kan | ||
Order From Chaos | 亂中有序 | luàn zhōng yǒu xù luan4 zhong1 you3 xu4 luan zhong you xu luanzhongyouxu | luan chung yu hsü luanchungyuhsü |
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Release of Desires | 寡欲 | keyoku | guǎ yù / gua3 yu4 / gua yu / guayu | kua yü / kuayü |
Sen | 森 | sēn / sen1 / sen | ||
Shaolin Disciple | 少林弟子 | shǎo lín dì zǐ shao3 lin2 di4 zi3 shao lin di zi shaolindizi | shao lin ti tzu shaolintitzu |
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Xiaoxiao | 小小 | xiǎo xiǎo xiao3 xiao3 xiao xiao xiaoxiao | hsiao hsiao hsiaohsiao |
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In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. |
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 Little Kanji, Little Characters, Little in Mandarin Chinese, Little Characters, Little in Chinese Writing, Little in Japanese Writing, Little in Asian Writing, Little Ideograms, Chinese Little symbols, Little Hieroglyphics, Little Glyphs, Little in Chinese Letters, Little Hanzi, Little in Japanese Kanji, Little Pictograms, Little in the Chinese Written-Language, or Little in the Japanese Written-Language.
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