Yue4 in Chinese / Japanese...

月 is how to write the title for “moon” in Chinese, Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.

月 is also used to refer to the month. This is because China traditionally uses a lunar calendar, so saying “next moon” is the same as saying “next month” etc.
In modern Chinese and Japanese and old Korean, the character for a number is put in front of this moon character to represent western months. So “one moon” is January “two moons” is February etc.

If you are wondering, in the east Asian way to write dates, the character for “sun” or “day” is used with a number in front of it to express the day of the month. So “ten moons, one sun” becomes “October 1st” or “10/1” (this date happens to be Chinese National Day - The equivalent of Independence Day in the USA, Canada Day, or the Queen's Birthday).

In Japanese, 月 can be a surname that romanizes as Tsuki, Tsukizaki, or Takagetsu.

閱 is a Chinese character that means to read. It can also refer to observing (the world, and learning from it), or gaining life experiences. 閱 is a good character to relay the idea of being “well-read,” which can include reading books, studying, and learning through experience.

The dictionary definition also includes: to inspect; to review; to peruse; to go through; to experience.

Technically, this is also a Japanese Kanji but only some Japanese Buddhists use it (most of the population will not recognize it).

In Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, this means examining, inspecting, and/or looking over.

This is April in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This was originally the fourth month of the Chinese lunar year, now used for the fourth month of the Gregorian calendar (also known as the Western or Christian calendar). 四月 literally mean “fourth month” or “fourth moon.”

八月 is the month of August in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

八月 literally means “eighth month” or “eighth moon.”

In Japanese, this can also be the female given name, Yatsuki, in much the same way August can be a female given name in English.

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).

卓越 or “excellence” is doing your best, giving careful attention to every task and every relationship.

This word can also be defined as excellence, remarkable, surpassing, splendid, transcendence, preeminence, or distinguished. Sometimes it can mean “superiority.”

See Also:  Pride

二月 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for the month of February.

This literally means the “second month” or “second moon” (of the year).

禪悅 is a title that refers to the inner bliss and peace you can achieve from meditation.

This term transcends a few religions, including Taoism and Buddhism. It can also be translated as “joy of the mystic trance” or simply “meditative bliss.”

Amazing that such a complex idea can be expressed in just two Chinese characters. Note that the first character is Chan/Zen (Chinese/Japanese), which means “meditation” in both languages.

一月 is the month of January, the first month of the year, in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

七月 is how Chinese and Japanese express July (also used in old Korean Hanja).

七月 literally means “seventh month” or “seventh moon.”

This is the month of June in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This was originally the sixth month of the Chinese lunar year, now used for the sixth month of the Gregorian calendar (also known as the Western or Christian calendar). 六月 literally mean “sixth month” or “sixth moon.”

三月 is the Chinese, Japanese, and Chinese way to write the month of March.

This literally reads as “third month” or “third moon.”

五月 is the month of May in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This was originally the fifth month of the Chinese lunar year, now used for the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar (also known as the Western or Christian calendar). 五月 literally means “fifth month” or “fifth moon.”

Note: Sometimes Japanese parents will use this as a female given name, and use "Mei" (the sound of May in English) as the pronunciation.

月光 is the Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji title for moonlight.

This can also be used to describe a moonbeam and can be a given name in all three languages (pronounced as Rumi when used as a female given name in Japanese).

新月 literally means new moon.

This can also refer to a crescent moon or the first lunar phase that occurs every 29.53 days.

In Japanese, this can be the female given names Wakatsuki, Nidzuki, or Nitsuki. It can also be the surnames Shintsuki, Shingetsu, or Aratsuki.

十月 is how Chinese and Japanese express October (also used in old Korean Hanja).

十月 literally means “tenth month” or “tenth moon.”

In Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja, 超越 means to overcome, surpass, transcendence, excel, exceed, go beyond, rise above, or transcend.

閱讀 is a Chinese word that refers to the act of reading or a suggestion to read (presumably books but could refer to any reading materials or text).

九月 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for the month of September.

Originally this was for the ninth month of the lunar calendar, now used for the western (Gregorian) calendar.

This can also be the Japanese female given name Kugetsu.

This is the Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji name for the country of Vietnam.

See Also:  China | Cambodia | Laos | Asia

岳飛 is the name of General Yue Fei (1103-1142). He was a famous General of the Song Dynasty army in China. Many legendary stories have been written about him, and passed down through the generations.

In Japanese, this can be the personal name, Gakuhi.

岳努 is the name Yuenu in Chinese (Mandarin).

十二月 is December, the twelfth month of the year, in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

十一月 is the Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean title for the month of November.

This literally means the eleventh month or moon.

日月星 is the shortest way to write a title (or word list) that means Sun, Moon, Stars.

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).

超越無限 means “to infinity and beyond,” in Chinese.

This is how the slogan/phrase from Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear was translated from the movie into Chinese.

日月星辰 is a title that encompasses all of the heavenly bodies or celestial bodies.

Namely, this includes the Sun, Moon, and Stars of our universe.

鏡花水月 is an old Asian proverb that means “flowers in a mirror and the moon reflected in the lake” or “flowers reflected on a mirror and the moon reflected on the water's surface.”

Literally, 鏡花水月 reads “Mirror Flower, Water Moon.”

Figuratively this can be used to represent a lot of different ideas. It can be used to express an unrealistic rosy view or viewing things through rose-tinted spectacles. So you can use it to relay an idea about something that is visible but has no substance, something that can be seen but not touched, or something beautiful but unattainable such as dreams or a mirage.

This expression is used to describe things like the subtle and profound beauty of poems that cannot be described in words.

鏡 = Mirror (or lens)
花 = Flower(s)
水 = Water
月 = Moon

Can also be written 水月鏡花 (just a slight change in word/character order).

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.

This poem was written almost 1200 years ago during the Tang dynasty.

It depicts traveling up a place known as Cold Mountain, where some hearty people have built their homes. The traveler is overwhelmed by the beauty of the turning leaves of the maple forest that surrounds him just as night overtakes the day, and darkness prevails. His heart implores him to stop, and take in all of the beauty around him.

First, before you get to the full translation, I must tell you that Chinese poetry is a lot different than what we have in the west. Chinese words simply don't rhyme in the same way that English or other western languages do. Chinese poetry depends on rhythm and a certain beat of repeated numbers of characters.

I have done my best to translate this poem keeping a certain feel of the original poet. But some of the original beauty of the poem in its original Chinese will be lost in translation.

Far away on Cold Mountain, a stone path leads upwards.
Among white clouds, people's homes reside.
Stopping my carriage I must, as to admire the maple forest at nights fall.
In awe of autumn leaves showing more red than even flowers of early spring.

Hopefully, this poem will remind you to stop, and “take it all in” as you travel through life.
The poet's name is “Du Mu” in Chinese that is: .
The title of the poem, “Mountain Travels” is:
You can have the title, poet's name, and even “Tang Dynasty” written as an inscription on your custom wall scroll if you like.

More about the poet:

Dumu lived from 803-852 AD and was a leading Chinese poet during the later part of the Tang dynasty.
He was born in Chang'an, a city in central China and the former capital of the ancient Chinese empire in 221-206 BC. In present-day China, his birthplace is currently known as Xi'an, the home of the Terracotta Soldiers.

He was awarded his Jinshi degree (an exam administered by the emperor's court which leads to becoming an official of the court) at the age of 25 and went on to hold many official positions over the years. However, he never achieved a high rank, apparently because of some disputes between various factions, and his family's criticism of the government. His last post in the court was his appointment to the office of Secretariat Drafter.

During his life, he wrote scores of narrative poems, as well as a commentary on the Art of War and many letters of advice to high officials.

His poems were often very realistic and often depicted everyday life. He wrote poems about everything, from drinking beer in a tavern to weepy poems about lost love.

The thing that strikes you most is the fact even after 1200 years, not much has changed about the beauty of nature, toils, and troubles of love and beer drinking.