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Personalize your custom “機” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “機” title below...
1. Opportunity
2. Crisis equals Danger plus Opportunity?
3. Motivation
4. Opportunity
6. Opportunity
7. War Machine
9. Innovation
10. Trigger Fish
機 is an odd one - I've seen this on coffee cups and posters with the meaning of “opportunity.”
機 is a correct definition but this character also means “machine.” In fact, if you put the character for “flying” in front of this character, you have the Chinese word for “airplane” (literally: flying machine). Alone, on a wall scroll, it will be generally understood as “opportunity” but I want you to know this extra information before you make your selection. Note that in Japanese and Korean, this has a similar meaning but can also mean machine or loom.
危機 means crisis in Chinese and Japanese.
Separately, the first character here does mean “danger” or “to endanger,” and the second character can mean “opportunity.”
However, I want to debunk a myth that was propagated by some westerners who did not have a clear understanding of Asian languages...
While often, Chinese/Japanese/Korean compound words (words of two or more characters) are the sum of their parts, this is not always the case. The compound is often understood with a completely different meaning than the two characters individually.
Many have said that the Chinese/Japanese/Korean word for Crisis is made up of the characters for “danger” and “opportunity.” 危機 is true when phrased this way.
However, it's not absolutely correct to say that “danger + opportunity = crisis” in Asian cultures.
English example:
If I tell you that...
Bovine creature + Guy behind the plate in baseball = Locomotive train protection
...you would think I was mad. But consider that “cow + catcher = cowcatcher,” which is the device that used to be found on steam engines to protect them if they hit an animal on the tracks. When we hear the word “cowcatcher,” we don't separate the words into their individual meanings (necessarily).
The same is true with the word for crisis in Chinese/Japanese/Korean. While you can separate the characters, few Asian people would automatically do so in their minds.
The final answer:
It is a half-truth to say, “danger plus opportunity equals crisis” in Chinese/Japanese/Korean. Use this statement and concept with caution.
Also, the second character can mean “secret” or “machine,” depending on context so I guess you have to say “a dangerous machine = crisis” or “danger + a secret = crisis.” Both of these are only slightly more ridiculous than the first premise.
PS: 危機 is probably not a great word for a scroll unless you have a special use for it.
動機 is a common word for motivation in Japanese and Korean.
In Chinese, it can have some bad connotations - so it's safer if your target audience is Japanese or Korean.
機会 is a common way to express “opportunity” in Japanese.
The first character means “chance,” and the second can be translated as “meeting.”
So in Japanese business, a “chance meeting” represents a real “opportunity.”
Note that this also means opportunity in Chinese, but it's more an oral or informal word in Mandarin. Also, the second Kanji is the same as the simplified version of the hui Chinese character.
機遇 is the kind of opportunity that comes via good luck or good fortune.
This word is sometimes translated as “stroke of good luck.”
While there are other ways to express “opportunity,” I think this version is best for a calligraphy wall scroll or portrait.
Note: In Korean Hanja, this would also mean “Meeting someone under strange circumstances.”
Opportune Time
時機 is a common way to express day-to-day opportunities.
It's sometimes used to express “an occasion.”
起重機 refers to the huge machine that lifts materials high into the air as crews construct huge buildings.
A customer requested this specifically after some confusion over the bird by the same name.
In an odd twist, while they don't know this name in English sounds like a bird; the building crane is jokingly called “The real national bird of China” because of the accelerated level of construction in Beijing and elsewhere ever since preparations began for the 2008 Olympics. As of 2018, construction has barely slowed.
If you want the type of construction crane that drives down the road, please note that the word is totally different for that kind of “vehicle crane.”
新機軸 is a Japanese word that is used to mean: innovation, new departure, new way, milestone, or breakthrough.
The literal meaning is, “new axis” or “new axle.” It's almost like saying a new wheel (like coming up with a round wheel when the previous version was square).
Please note that this also has meaning in Chinese but only would mean “new axle” without the meaning of “innovation” being associated with it. Consider this to be “Japanese only.”
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 機 search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
機 机 see styles |
jī ji1 chi hata はた |
More info & calligraphy: Opportunityloom; (surname) Hata The spring, or motive principle, machine, contrivance, artifice, occasion, opportunity; basis, root or germ; natural bent, fundamental quality. |
動機 动机 see styles |
dòng jī dong4 ji1 tung chi douki / doki どうき |
More info & calligraphy: Motivation(1) motive; incentive; (2) (See モチーフ) motif |
危機 危机 see styles |
wēi jī wei1 ji1 wei chi kiki きき |
More info & calligraphy: Crisis equals Danger plus Opportunity?crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch; (female given name) Kiki |
戦機 see styles |
senki せんき |
More info & calligraphy: War Machine |
時機 时机 see styles |
shí jī shi2 ji1 shih chi jiki じき |
More info & calligraphy: Opportunityopportunity; chance; time; occasion |
機會 机会 see styles |
jī huì ji1 hui4 chi hui |
opportunity; chance; occasion; CL:個|个[ge4] |
機遇 机遇 see styles |
jī yù ji1 yu4 chi yü |
More info & calligraphy: Opportunity / Good Luck |
新機軸 see styles |
shinkijiku しんきじく |
More info & calligraphy: Innovation |
起重機 起重机 see styles |
qǐ zhòng jī qi3 zhong4 ji1 ch`i chung chi chi chung chi kijuuki / kijuki きじゅうき |
More info & calligraphy: Construction Crane(See クレーン) crane; derrick |
一機 see styles |
hitoki ひとき |
(1) one machine; (2) an aircraft (airplane); one aircraft; (3) one player (in video games); (personal name) Hitoki |
万機 see styles |
banki ばんき |
state affairs; secrets |
三機 三机 see styles |
sān jī san1 ji1 san chi sanki |
see 三聚. |
主機 主机 see styles |
zhǔ jī zhu3 ji1 chu chi |
main engine; (military) lead aircraft; (computing) host computer; main processor; server |
乗機 see styles |
jouki / joki じょうき |
(1) (usu. ...の乗機) airplane (manned by ...); (2) boarding (an airplane) |
乘機 乘机 see styles |
chéng jī cheng2 ji1 ch`eng chi cheng chi |
to take the opportunity; to take a plane |
事機 事机 see styles |
shì jī shi4 ji1 shih chi |
confidential aspects of a matter; secrets; key moment for action |
二機 see styles |
niki にき |
(female given name) Niki |
交機 see styles |
kouki / koki こうき |
(abbreviation) (See 交通機動隊) police mobile traffic unit |
伺機 伺机 see styles |
sì jī si4 ji1 ssu chi |
to wait for an opportunity; to watch for one's chance |
俊機 see styles |
toshiki としき |
(given name) Toshiki |
俟機 俟机 see styles |
sì jī si4 ji1 ssu chi |
variant of 伺機|伺机[si4 ji1] |
借機 借机 see styles |
jiè jī jie4 ji1 chieh chi |
to seize the opportunity |
值機 值机 see styles |
zhí jī zhi2 ji1 chih chi |
(airline) check-in; to check in |
停機 停机 see styles |
tíng jī ting2 ji1 t`ing chi ting chi |
(of a machine) to stop; to shut down; to park a plane; to finish shooting (a TV program etc); to suspend a phone line; (of a prepaid mobile phone) to be out of credit |
健機 see styles |
takeki たけき |
(given name) Takeki |
僚機 僚机 see styles |
liáo jī liao2 ji1 liao chi ryouki / ryoki りょうき |
wingman aircraft consort plane |
先機 先机 see styles |
xiān jī xian1 ji1 hsien chi |
critical opportunity |
光機 see styles |
kouki / koki こうき |
(abbreviation) (See 光学機械) optical instrument; optical equipment |
全機 全机 see styles |
quán jī quan2 ji1 ch`üan chi chüan chi zenki ぜんき |
(1) all aircraft; (2) all machines; (3) {Buddh} workings of all things; all activity; (given name) Masaki all functions |
分機 分机 see styles |
fēn jī fen1 ji1 fen chi |
(telephone) extension; CL:臺|台[tai2] |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Opportunity | 機 机 | hata | jī / ji1 / ji | chi |
Crisis equals Danger plus Opportunity? | 危機 危机 | kiki | wēi jī / wei1 ji1 / wei ji / weiji | wei chi / weichi |
Motivation | 動機 动机 | dou ki / douki / do ki | dòng jī / dong4 ji1 / dong ji / dongji | tung chi / tungchi |
Opportunity | 機會 机会 | kikai | jī huì / ji1 hui4 / ji hui / jihui | chi hui / chihui |
Opportunity Good Luck | 機遇 机遇 | jī yù / ji1 yu4 / ji yu / jiyu | chi yü / chiyü | |
Opportunity | 時機 时机 | shí jī / shi2 ji1 / shi ji / shiji | shih chi / shihchi | |
War Machine | 戦機 | senki | ||
Construction Crane | 起重機 起重机 | kijuuki / kijuki | qǐ zhòng jī qi3 zhong4 ji1 qi zhong ji qizhongji | ch`i chung chi chichungchi chi chung chi |
Innovation | 新機軸 | shinkijiku | ||
Trigger Fish | 扳機魚 扳机鱼 | bān jī yú ban1 ji1 yu2 ban ji yu banjiyu | pan chi yü panchiyü |
|
Opportunity Knocks Only Once | 機會隻敲一次門 机会只敲一次门 | jī huì zhǐ qiāo yī cì mén ji1 hui4 zhi3 qiao1 yi1 ci4 men2 ji hui zhi qiao yi ci men jihuizhiqiaoyicimen | chi hui chih ch`iao i tz`u men chihuichihchiaoitzumen chi hui chih chiao i tzu men |
|
Opportunity Knocks Only Once | 機不可失時不再來 机不可失时不再来 | jī bù kě shī shí bù zài lái ji1 bu4 ke3 shi1 shi2 bu4 zai4 lai2 ji bu ke shi shi bu zai lai jibukeshishibuzailai | chi pu k`o shih shih pu tsai lai chipukoshihshihputsailai chi pu ko shih shih pu tsai lai |
|
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.