Yin in Chinese / Japanese...

陰陽 literally means yin and yang in written form (versus the common yin-yang symbol). The first character has the element of the moon, while the second character has the element of the sun so that you can see, even in written form, they suggest the balance of opposites (of night and day). You could also translate this title as “sun and moon.”

Note: This title is often misspelled as Ying Yang instead of Yin Yang.

See Also:  Taoism

觀世音 is an alternate title for Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion or Goddess of Mercy.

觀世音 is the Buddhist bestower of children, the protector of life and all in distress (especially of those at sea).

南無觀音菩薩 is the title Namo Guanyin Pusa in Chinese or Namu/Namo Kannon Bosatsu in Japanese.

This can also translate as Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

Note: Sometimes written 南無觀世音菩薩 (just the addition of 世) making it Námó Guānshìyīn Púsà.

南無觀世音菩薩 means homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara in Chinese and Japanese.

The 4th character of this homage or chant can be dropped, making it 南無觀音菩薩 or “Namo Guanyin Pusa.”

銀 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for silver.

This same word can refer to things that are silver-colored, money or currency, silver coins, or silver paint.

In Japanese, this can be a given name “Ginji.”

八卦 is the Chinese title for Bagua or Ba Gua.

Simply put, this represents the eight elements often seen around the yin-yang symbol.

太極球 is the title “Tai Chi Ball.”

This may refer to any number of variations of exercise balls, some with yin-yang themes, others strictly for taichi/taiji or qigong exercises.

This can be the Japanese surname Yako or Minami.

陽 is actually the yang from yin and yang ☯.

The meaning includes positive, sun, male, the side on which the sun shines, the sun, heat, masculine, dynamic, etc.

Many things have opposite properties. The water you drink can also drown you. Pork may nourish you and keep you alive but under-cook it and it could kill you. Potassium nitrate is often used as a fertilizer to grow the food that sustains us but it's also been used as an explosive to topple buildings and destroy us.

This concept is easily associated with “yin yang” where an element has two opposite properties that are as different as night and day.

This proverb's meaning can be summed up this way: “Anything that can lead you to success may also contain great risks.”

This phrase is known in literary circles by Korean people (scholars or literature). It is therefore also a valid proverb in Korean Hanja, though most Koreans would not be able to make sense of it.

Please note that there is an unwritten rule when the same character appears twice in the same phrase, the calligrapher will alter the appearance so that no two characters are exactly alike in the same piece. This calligraphy has two repeating characters that will be written differently than they appear here.

道 is the character “dao” which is sometimes written as “tao” but pronounced like “dow” in Mandarin.

道 is the base of what is known as “Taoism.” If you translate this literally, it can mean “the way” or “the path.”

Dao is believed to be that which flows through all things and keeps them in balance. It incorporates the ideas of yin and yang (e.g. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female.)

The beginning of Taoism can be traced to a mystical man named
Lao Zi (604-531 BC), who followed, and added to the teachings of Confucius.

More about Taoism / Daoism here.

Note that this is pronounced “dou” and sometimes “michi” when written alone in Japanese but pronounced “do” in word compounds such as Karate-do and Bushido. It's also “do” in Korean.

Alternate translations and meanings: road, way, path; truth, principle province.

Important Japanese note: In Japanese, this will generally be read with the road, way, or path meaning. Taoism is not as popular or well-known in Japan so Daoist/Taoist philosophy is not the first thing a Japanese person will think of when they read this character.

See our Taoism Page

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).

心印 is a Buddhist concept that simply stated is “appreciation of truth by meditation.”

It's a deep subject, but my understanding is that you can find truth through meditation, and once you've found the truth, you can learn to appreciate it more through further meditation. This title is not commonly used outside of the Buddhist community (your Asian friends may or may not understand it). The literal translation would be something like “the mind seal,” I've seen this term translated this way from Japanese Buddhist poetry. But apparently, the seal that is stamped deep in your mind is the truth. You just have to meditate to find it.

Soothill defines it this way: Mental impression, intuitive certainty; the mind is the Buddha-mind in all, which can seal or assure the truth; the term indicates the intuitive method of the Chan (Zen) school, which was independent of the spoken or written word.

Reference: Soothill-Hodous Dictionary of Chinese Buddhism

See Also:  Zen

考因 is the name Cawing in Chinese (Mandarin).

福音 is the Chinese, Korean and Japanese word for “Gospel” or “Word of God.”

福音 is a specifically Christian word in Asia (not used for any other religion).

The first character means blessing, good fortune, or good luck. This first character is a special character used throughout China to bring good tidings and fortune - especially during Chinese New Year. The second character means sound, noise, or news.

Together, these characters create a word that means “The Good News” or “The Sound of Good Fortune.”

When read by a Chinese or Japanese person, this word is always perceived as “The Christian Gospel,” “Word of God,” or even “The Voice of God.”

See Also:  Christianity | Jesus Christ | God of Abraham

飲 is how to formally write “drink” (the verb for taking a drink or drinking) in Chinese and Japanese.

This is different than the noun for a drink. There are other ways to say/write drink, but they are more for oral/spoken language. This more formal version is appropriate if you want to write the word “drink.”

This is kind of an odd selection for a wall scroll but no bad meaning.

In Korean Hanja, this character is generally written in the variant shown to the right.

This can be pronounced in Japanese but this is seldom seen as a lone Kanji, and thus is not appropriate if your audience is Japanese. They will, at least, use a second Hiragana character in Japanese, as shown to the right. This is "nomi."

The common oral character looks like the one shown to the right. But this is not appropriate for a wall scroll.

In some cases (often in ancient Chinese) the character shown to the right is used to mean drink. But this word refers to anything you consume in your mouth. This character is most often used to mean "eat" in modern Chinese.

回音 is the word echo in Chinese.

It can also mean reply or turn (ornament in music).

In Japanese, this just has the meaning of turn (melodic ornament) or gruppetto. Only select this if your audience is Chinese.

艾因 is the name Ein in Chinese (Mandarin).

銀島 is the name Ginjima in Chinese (Mandarin).

陰司 is the ancient way to say “Hell” or “Netherworld” in Chinese.

This title can also refer to the officials of Hell or the judges of Hades or the Netherworld.

Please note that this is a somewhat terrible selection for a wall scroll. Hanging this in your home is like telling the world that your home is hell. Oddly, a lot of people search for this on my website, so I added it for reference.

印迪 is the name Indi in Chinese (Mandarin).

This is the Chinese and Japanese Kanji name for the country of India, occasionally referred to as Hindustan.

See Also:  Asia

印第 is the name Indy in Chinese (Mandarin).

因加 is the name Inga in Chinese (Mandarin).

因馬 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the Latin / Spanish name Inma.

因納 is the name Inna in Chinese (Mandarin).

姻緣 means “Destiny that brings lovers together.” It can also be translated technically as “Predestined matrimonial affinity” (wow, talk about taking the romance out of this word - that was from the Oxford C-E dictionary).

This speaks to the fate (or karma) that brings a husband and wife together. I would translate this as “Together by fate” or “Joined by destiny” but in the context of marriage. You could use this for non-married lovers, but the first character has a suggestion that this refers to those that are married.

因果 is a label that is used inside and outside of the Buddhist faith to speak of Karma.

Along with the meaning of Karma, this word can be translated as “retribution” or “chain of cause and effect.”

See Also:  Buddhism

洛因 is the name Loyne in Chinese (Mandarin).

This is a common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Maine.

This is also how the state of Maine in the USA is written in Mandarin.

銀河 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja name for the Milky Way (our galaxy).

This can also be the Japanese female given name Ginga.

奎因 is the name Quin in Chinese (Mandarin).

奎因 is the name Quinn in Chinese (Mandarin).

樹蔭 means “shade of a tree” in Chinese and Japanese.

It's kind of a poetic term, so it's appropriate if tree shade has personal meaning to you.

澤因 is the name Zein in Chinese (Mandarin).

達圖因 is the name Datuin in Chinese (Mandarin).

尹美爾 is the name Emer in Chinese (Mandarin).

侯賽因 is the name Hosain in Chinese (Mandarin).

侯賽因 is the name Hossain in Chinese (Mandarin).

侯賽因 is the name Hossein in Chinese (Mandarin).

侯賽因 is the name Hussain in Chinese (Mandarin).

侯賽因 is the name Hussein in Chinese (Mandarin).

因亞吉 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the Latin / Spanish name Iñaki.

印度人 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for Indian (a person from India).

This is kind of an odd selection to put on a wall scroll, but people keep searching for this title, so I added it.

因陀羅 is the name Indra in Chinese (Mandarin).

杰梅因 is the name Jermaine in Chinese (Mandarin).

馬萊因 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the Latin / Spanish name Marlen.

銀河系 is the long form of the Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean name for the Milky Way Galaxy (our galactic system).

印第安 is the Chinese title for (American) Indian or Native American.

For disambiguation, this refers only to the indigenous people of North America.

印第安 is a transliteration, so it is meant to sound like the English word “Indian” using Chinese sounds.

This is not a common selection for a calligraphy wall scroll.

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the female French name Perrine.

奎因西 is the name Quincy in Chinese (Mandarin).

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the male Arabic name Smaïn or Smain.

因緣 is the Buddhist concept of a chance meeting or an opportunity that presents itself by fate.

Sometimes this is used to describe a cosmic chain of events or cause and effect.

It also is used to describe predestined relationships between people - and sometimes married couples (although if you want one about marriage, try this: Fate / Destiny of Lovers.

因緣 can also be translated as origin, karma, destiny, affinity, connection, and relation. This all depends on context - seen alone on a wall scroll, this will be read with a “fate/chance” meaning by a Chinese person or a Korean person who can read Hanja.

The more complex definition of this word would be, “Direct causes and indirect conditions, which underlie the actions of all things.”

This concept is known as nidana in the original Sanskrit. Also sometimes presented as hetupratyaya (or “hetu and prataya”), which I believe is Pali.

Note: Japanese will tend to use this version of the second Kanji:
If you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher, expect that you’ll get this version. However, this word often carries a negative connotation in Japanese (bad things happen), as it is used that way in a certain Japanese idiom. Therefore, this may not be the best choice if Japanese is your target language.

See Also:  Buddhism | Opportunity

音樂 is how to write music in most Asian languages.

It can also express the idea of a musical movement, depending on context.

The second character has morphed a bit in Japanese Kanji. If you want the specifically modern Japanese version, please click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above. The version shown to the left was used in ancient Japan, prior to the Japanese language reformations after WWII (so technically, it’s still Japanese).

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.

艾因斯利 is the name Ainsley in Chinese (Mandarin).

埃弗拉因 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the Latin / Spanish name Efrain.

海因里希 is the name Heinrich in Chinese (Mandarin).

陰曹地府 can mean Hell, Hades, Kingdom of the Underworld, or the Netherworld.

When Chinese people talk about Hell, this is usually the term they use. Please note that this is a somewhat oral and informal word.

This is a really weird selection for a wall scroll, so consider this for educational purposes only.

因孔特里 is the name Incontri in Chinese (Mandarin).

姻緣紅線 is the legendary red string of destiny that binds all soul mates or lovers together.

In ancient Chinese culture, a mythological matchmaker named 月老 (Yuè Lǎo) was the controller of the fate that led lovers to meet. He did this by tying a celestial red string to the ankle of each person. Sometime during their life, they will meet and marry as fate dictates.

While the origin of the red string comes from China, it has spread to other parts of Asia (such as Japan, where it's known as 赤い糸).

萊因哈德 is the name Reinhard in Chinese (Mandarin).

天堂之音 is a title that can be translated as either “voice of heaven” or “voices from heaven.”

The first two characters mean heaven.
The third character is a possessive article (kind of like making heaven into heaven's).
The last character means voice but can also mean sound.

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

葉列因娜 is the name Yeleinna in Chinese (Mandarin).

萬事皆因果 means “Everything happens for a reason” in Chinese.

The first two characters mean “all things” or “everything.”

The middle character kind of means “in all cases.”

The last two characters create a complex word that can be defined in many ways, such as “karma,” “cause and effect,” “fate,” and “every cause has its effect, as every effect arises from a cause.”

Keep in mind that Chinese grammar is a bit different than English, so trust me that this makes a natural-sounding proverb in Chinese.

因達萊西奧 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the Latin / Spanish name Indalecio.

This is the Chinese name for the country of Indonesia.

See Also:  Asia

音樂家 is how to write “musician” in most Asian languages.

There is more than one way to express “musician” in China, but this is the traditional and most respectful title.

The second character has morphed a bit in Japanese Kanji. If you want the specifically modern Japanese version, please click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above. The version shown to the left was used in ancient Japan, prior to the Japanese language reformations after WWII (so technically, it’s still Japanese).

See Also:  Music | Harmony | Sing

音樂就是生命 means “Music is Life,” in Chinese.

This is a title that we composed after so many people searched for it on our website.

百歲光陰如過客 directly translates as: [Even a] hundred-year-old [person] is [just a] traveler passing by.

The simple message is, “Human life is short.” Of course, there is an unspoken suggestion that you should make the best of your time here on earth.

不贵尺之壁而重寸之阴 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.

我的生命因为有你就完整 means “My life is complete because of you” in Chinese.

金窝银窝不如自己的狗窝 is a Chinese slang proverb that means “Golden house, [or a] silver house, not as good as my own dog house.”

It's basically saying that even a house made of gold or silver is not as good as my own home (which may only be suitable for a dog but at least it's mine).

不殺生不偷盜不邪淫不妄語不飲酒 is the full list of the five precepts of Buddhism in Chinese.

There are many ways to translate or express these.
The following is one basic way:
1. Do not kill/murder.
2. Do not steal.
3. Do not commit adultery and/or sexual misconduct.
4. Do not lie or speak falsehoods.
5. Do not become intoxicated (with drugs/alcohol).

Here is another take from my favorite magazine: Lion's Roar: Five Precepts

Here is the full translation of Joshua 1:9 into Chinese.

The text with punctuation:
我岂没有吩咐你吗？你当刚强壮胆。不要惧怕，也不要惊惶。因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华你的神必与你同在。 Hand-painted calligraphy does not retain punctuation.

This translation comes from the 1919 Chinese Union Bible.

For reference, from the KJV, this reads, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Here is the Lord's Prayer in Chinese from Mathew 6:9-13.

The Chinese text with punctuation is:
Part of 6:9 ...我们在天上的父，愿人都尊你的名为圣。
6:10 愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。
6:11 我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。
6:12 免我们的债，如同我们免了人的债。
6:13 不叫我们遇见试探，救我们脱离凶恶，因为国度，权柄，荣耀，全是你的，直到永远，阿们。
Note that punctuation is not included in traditional Chinese calligraphy artwork.

From KJV, this is:
Part of 6:9 ...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

This is Tao Yuanming's poem, “Returning to Dwell in Gardens and Fields.”

少無適俗韻 性本愛丘山。
誤落塵網中 一去三十年。

羈鳥戀舊林 池魚思故淵。
開荒南野際 抱拙歸園田。

方宅十餘畝 草屋八九間。
榆柳蔭後簷 桃李羅堂前。

暖暖遠人村 依依墟裡煙。
狗吠深巷中 雞鳴桑樹顛。

戶庭無塵雜 虛室有餘閒。
久在樊籠裡 復得返自然。

Here is the Lord's Prayer in Chinese from Luke 11:2-4.

The Chinese text with punctuation is:
Part of 11:2 ...我们在天上的父，有古卷只作父阿愿人都尊你的名为圣。愿你的国降临。愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。有古卷无愿你的旨意云云。
11:3 我们日用的饮食，天天赐给我们。
11:4 赦免我们的罪，因为我们也赦免凡亏欠我们的人。不叫我们遇见试探。救我们脱离凶恶。有古卷无末句。
Note that punctuation is not included in traditional Chinese calligraphy artwork.

From KJV, this is:
Part of 11:2 ...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.