平 in Chinese / Japanese...

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).

科平 is the name Copine in Chinese (Mandarin).

In Chinese, 平等 is the word that describes equality among all humans.

Yes, this is equality that means equality no matter of religion, whether you are rich or poor, gay or straight, black white or yellow.

In Japanese and Korean, this can be defined as equality, impartiality, and evenness (basically the same as the Chinese meaning).

永平 is a way to write “eternal peace” in Chinese and Japanese.

This may also refer to Yongping county in Dali Bai autonomous prefecture. 永平 is also a Japanese surname that romanizes as Nagahira.

公平 means impartial, fairness, and justice in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese.

公平 on your wall should be used to remind yourself to be fair and just in all life situations.

平林 is the Japanese surname Hirabarashi or Hiryabayashi.

水平 means level, standard, horizontal, or horizontality.

水平 is also a surname in Japanese which romanizes as Midzuhira or Mizuhira.

太平 means “peace and tranquility” or “peace and security” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The literal translation would be “very balanced” or “very peaceful.”

The first character means very, much, too much, or extremely.
The second character means balanced, peaceful, calm, equal, even, level, or smooth.

泰平 means peace and/or tranquility in Japanese and Korean (also understood but not as common in Chinese).

和平 is the Chinese order for these two characters, which means peace but can also be translated as amicability, specifically, or mildness. 和平 is often translated as a simple way to say “peace of mind.” This combination is used in Korean Hanja to mean “peace and harmony.”

Alone, the first character means peace and harmony.
The second character means balance when read by itself.

Note: 和平 are often seen in the opposite order in Japanese with the same meaning (You'll sometimes find them in this order in Japan, so either way is OK).

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

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

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

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

平復 is a Chinese and Japanese expression that means “to be cured,” “to be healed,” “restoration to health,” or “recovery from illness.”

In some contexts, it can mean “to pacify” or “to calm down.”

This word means “safe and sound” in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Can also be translated as well-being, peace, tranquility, quietness, and calmness.

Note: There is also a longer four-character version in our calligraphy database.

平靜 is one of several ways to express “serenity” or “tranquility” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

It can also be translated as calm, serenity, tranquil, undisturbed, or serene.

平穩 can also be translated as calmness, quietness, or quietude and is used in Chinese and Korean.

The version shown here would be considered the ancient Japanese form. The second character has been simplified in Japan (the same simplified form is used in mainland China, except for calligraphy).

Please include special instructions with your order if you want the simplified form of that second character. Both forms can be universally read.

特平 is the name Turpin in Chinese (Mandarin).

平常心 is the title Heijoshin, as associated with Kendo and Aikido schools of Japanese martial arts.

平常心 is also a word in Japanese that can be translated as “one's self-possession” or “presence of mind.”

In Chinese and Korean, this means “simplicity heart,” “composure,” “calmness,” or a “sense of orderliness.” In Chinese and Korean, this implies that you enjoy what you have, keep your heart in balance, and have no over-blown ambitions.

平家星 is the old Japanese title for the Betelgeuse star in the constellation Orion.

While also known as Alpha Orionis or Betelgeuse in the West, this was the “Heike star” in Japan.

The powerful Taira clan, known colloquially as the 平家 (Heike clan), adopted this star's red color as its symbol sometime in the late 800s AD. They called the star 平家星 (Heike-boshi).

平卡斯 is the name Pinkas in Chinese (Mandarin).

一路平安 is a wish for someone to have a pleasant journey.

It's probably the closest way to translate “bon voyage” into Chinese.

The first two characters mean one road or one path. The second two characters mean “safe and sound” or “without mishap.”

一路平安 means the same thing in Japanese but is not the most common selection for a wall scroll.

克里斯平 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the Latin / Spanish name Crispín.

內心平靜 is a Chinese and Japanese phrase that is a direct translation of the western idea of inner peace.

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

The last two characters mean “tranquil” and “serene.”

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

心の平和 means “heart of peace” or “peaceful heart” in Japanese.

This 平衡人生 title suggests that you are actively trying to keep your life in balance.

Think of this as the action verb of seeking or having a balanced life.

The first two characters mean balance, equilibrium, or keeping things equal.

The last two characters mean “life.” Literally “human life.”

自然平衡 means “nature balanced.”

The first two characters mean nature (as in mother nature, or all biological life).
The second two characters mean balance or balanced.

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).

和平博愛 is the Chinese and Japanese way to express “Peace and Love.”

These are two separate words, so the calligrapher will put a slight space between the first two characters, which mean peace, and the last two, which represent universal love. This space is not shown on the sample character images for this phrase.

A special note: Word lists may seem okay in English but feel strange in Chinese and Japanese. We don't offer too many of them but this one is often-requested and feels okay in Chinese and Japanese, though a bit uncommon in Korean.

This proverb means “safe and sound without toil or trouble.”

It kind of means that all is well with a feeling of complete safety. The ideas contained in these characters include well-being, peace, tranquility, quietness, calmness, and non-problematic.

宇宙平衡 is a proverb that is simply Universe Balanced (we might say “Balanced Universe” in English).

The first two characters mean the Universe. However, in some contexts, it can mean cosmic, cosmos, or outer space.
The second two characters mean balance or balanced (can also mean equilibrium).

和平武士 means “Warrior for Peace” (a warrior who fights for peace) in Chinese.

Note this is not the same thing as a “peaceful warrior.”

世界和平 is the Chinese title for “world peace.”

世界平和 is the Japanese title for “world peace” or “peace of the world.”

This proverb can be translated as the whole world at peace, peace and prosperity, peaceful and tranquil, peace reigns over the land, times of peace, peace and tranquillity, peaceful world, or from the Greek, times of halcyon.

Sometimes (rarely) written as 天下泰平 (variant 3rd character).

四海升平 literally means “all four oceans at peace,” which is a way to express “world peace.”

內心的平靜 means inner peace or peace of mind.

This is the Chinese equivalent of the French phrase Paix de l'esprit.

平靜的混亂 is NOT a typical Chinese phrase.

It was added to our calligraphy database at the request of a customer. These are two dynamically-opposed ideas, but this is the way to express them together.

平和的武士 means “Peaceful Warrior” in Chinese. This does in fact sound like an oxymoron in Chinese - but many of you have asked for this special title.

Note this is not the same thing as “warrior for peace.”

平和の武士 can be read as “Peaceful Warrior” or “Warrior for Peace” in Japanese. This sounds like an oxymoron in Japanese, so it's a weird title. Expect Japanese people to be perplexed when they see it.

Character breakdown:
平和 (heiwa) peace; harmony.
の (no) possessive particle.
武士 (bushi) warrior; samurai; soldier.

和平博愛幸福 is a word-list that means “peace, love, happiness,” in Chinese.

Word lists like this are not commonly-seen in China. Phrases with subject, verb, and object, or just single words are more natural for calligraphy artwork.

啟盛世開太平 means “To bring flourishing peace and security to the world (our current era).”

It's a wish that a new door leading to peace and prosperity could be opened to mankind.

Character and word breakdown:
啟 to open; to start; to initiate; to enlighten or awaken.
盛世 a flourishing period; period of prosperity; a golden age.
開 to open; to start; to turn on.
太平 peace and security; peace and tranquility; peace; tranquility.
I don't like to do breakdowns like this, as the words altogether create their unique meaning (encompassed in the main title above).

平和, 愛, 幸福 means “peace, love, happiness” in Japanese.

This is a word list, which is not the most natural kind of composition in Japanese (usually there is a subject, object, and verb - or a single word).

There is more than one way to translate the ancient Chinese military proverb, 平时多流汗战时少流血. Here are a few interpretations:

A drop of sweat spent in a drill is a drop of blood saved in war.

More practice will give one a better chance of success in real situations.

The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.

I heard this many times when I was a U.S. Marine but I had no idea at the time that it was actually an old Chinese proverb.

忍耐は心の平和をもたらす means “patience brings peace of mind,” in Japanese.

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

Here is Galatians 5:22 and a bit of 23 in Chinese.

The text with punctuation:
圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱，喜乐，和平，忍耐，恩慈，良善，信实，温柔，节制。
Hand-painted calligraphy does not retain punctuation.
This translation is from the Chinese Union Bible.

You may know it from the KJV as:
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
5:23 Meekness, temperance...

This is the serenity prayer, as used by many 12-step programs and support groups.

In Chinese, this says:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.