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in Chinese / Japanese...

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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

  5. Opportunity / Good Luck

  6. Opportunity

  7. War Machine

  8. Construction Crane

  9. Innovation

10. Trigger Fish

11. Opportunity Knocks Only Once


 jī
 hata
 
Opportunity Scroll

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.

Crisis equals Danger plus Opportunity?

 wēi jī
 kiki
Crisis equals Danger plus Opportunity? Scroll

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 cowcatcher
...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.

 dòng jī
 dou ki
Motivation Scroll

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.

 jī huì
 kikai
Opportunity Scroll

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.

Opportunity / Good Luck

 jī yù
Opportunity / Good Luck Scroll

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.”

Opportunity

Opportune Time

 shí jī
Opportunity Scroll

時機 is a common way to express day-to-day opportunities.

It's sometimes used to express “an occasion.”

 senki
War Machine Scroll

戦機 is a Japanese word that means war machine.

It can also mean the time for battle, military secrets, or battle strategy, depending on the context.

Construction Crane

 qǐ zhòng jī
 kijuuki
Construction Crane Scroll

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.”

 shinkijiku
Innovation Scroll

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.”

Trigger Fish

 bān jī yú
Trigger Fish Scroll

扳機魚 is the Chinese title for the Trigger Fish.

Opportunity Knocks Only Once

 jī huì zhǐ qiāo yī cì mén
Opportunity Knocks Only Once Scroll

This literally means “Chance, only once knocks [on the] door.”

Opportunity Knocks Only Once

 jī bù kě shī shí bù zài lái
Opportunity Knocks Only Once Scroll

機不可失, 時不再來 is often translated as Opportunity Knocks Only Once in Chinese.

The more literal meaning is, “This chance is not to be lost, it won't come again.”


Not the results for 機 that you were looking for?

Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your search...

Characters

If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese

Pronunciation
Romanization
Simple Dictionary Definition


see styles

    ji1
chi
 hata
    はた

More info & calligraphy:

Opportunity
(bound form) machine; mechanism; (bound form) aircraft; (bound form) an opportunity; (bound form) crucial point; pivot; (bound form) quick-witted; flexible; (bound form) organic
loom; (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
motive; 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
crisis; CL:個|个[ge4]
crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch; (female given name) Kiki

戦機

see styles
 senki
    せんき

More info & calligraphy:

War Machine
time for battle; military secrets; strategy

時機


时机

see styles
shí jī
    shi2 ji1
shih chi
 jiki
    じき

More info & calligraphy:

Opportunity
opportunity; opportune moment
opportunity; 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
opportunity; favorable circumstance; stroke of luck

新機軸

see styles
 shinkijiku
    しんきじく

More info & calligraphy:

Innovation
innovation; new departure; milestone; breakthrough

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
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|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]

Click here for more results from our dictionary

The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Opportunity
hatajī / ji1 / jichi
Crisis equals Danger plus Opportunity?危機
危机
kikiwēi jī / wei1 ji1 / wei ji / weijiwei chi / weichi
Motivation動機
动机
dou ki / douki / do kidòng jī / dong4 ji1 / dong ji / dongjitung chi / tungchi
Opportunity機會
机会
kikaijī huì / ji1 hui4 / ji hui / jihuichi hui / chihui
Opportunity
Good Luck
機遇
机遇
jī yù / ji1 yu4 / ji yu / jiyuchi yü / chiyü
Opportunity時機
时机
shí jī / shi2 ji1 / shi ji / shijishih chi / shihchi
War Machine戦機senki
Construction Crane起重機
起重机
kijuuki / kijukiqǐ 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.


Dictionary

Lookup in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary


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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.


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

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.

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

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.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

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.

A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

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.