Traveler Wanderer Vagabond Rolling Stone in Chinese / Japanese...

行旅 is a Chinese and Japanese title meaning traveler/traveller, wanderer, vagabond, rolling stone, or traveling/travelling.

旅人 is a Japanese title for traveller/traveler, wayfarer, nomad, a person who goes from place to place, pilgrim, etc.

羈旅 is a Chinese and Japanese title for traveler/traveller, to live abroad, to be traveling, or just travel.

放浪癖 is the Japanese word for wanderlust.

In less flattering translations, this can mean vagrant habits or vagabondism.

斯通 is the name Stone in Chinese (Mandarin).

ストン is the name Stone in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

石 is the character that means rock or stone in both Chinese and Japanese.

Alone, this will be read as “stone” in Japanese but in some context, it is a unit of measure for the volume of about five bushels.

This can also refer to a gem or jewel.

This can also be the Japanese surnames that romanize as Ishi, Tsuruishi, Soku, Seki, Shi, Kazu, Iso, Ishizaki, Ishisaki, or Koku.

滴水穿石 is a Chinese proverb that means, dripping water penetrates stone.

The figurative meaning can be translated as:
Constant perseverance yields success.
You can achieve your aim if you try hard without giving up.
Persistent effort overcomes any difficulty.

While 滴水穿石 is the most common character order, you will likely see 水滴石穿, might see 滴水石穿, and will rarely see 小水穿石 in the wild.

This Japanese proverb literally reads, “failures/mistakes/blunders are the yeast-starter/yeast-mash of success.”

Basically, it suggests that failures are a necessary part of success; Just as bread or beer requires yeast to successfully rise or brew/ferment.

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

This Japanese proverb reads, “failure/mistake/blunder/defeat is the origin of success.”

It suggests that failures or defeats are a necessary part of success.

失敗は成功の元 is often translated as “Failure is a stepping stone to success.”

Note: There are a few similar variations of this idiom in Japanese.

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

See Also:  Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success

失敗並非一種選擇 is probably the best way to say, “Failure is not an option,” in Chinese.

Just don't forget that some ancient Chinese proverbs suggest that failure is a learning opportunity that leads to success or innovation. So don't plan to fail but failure is only a waste if nothing is learned from the failure.

See Also:  Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success | Failure is the Mother of Success

The 浪人 or Ronin have no master - The most famous are the 47 ronin created after their Lord committed suicide. This term was not a positive title for the Samurai of ancient Japan. However, in recent years, movies and video games have glorified the term Ronin.

In Chinese, this term has the original meaning of a hobo, vagabond, or ruffian.
In Korean Hanja, these characters would be read as adventurer, wanderer, someone without a steady job, or someone who is wasting away time.

In modern Japan, this term is used as a nickname for a high school student who has failed a college entry exam (and is trying again).

In Chinese and Korean, the Japanese definition of “Masterless Samurai” is known because of the historical context. Even in Japanese, the literal translation is closer to the Chinese and Korean definitions shown above.

This will make a fine wall scroll if you are a fan of the Ronin or see yourself as a Ronin of sorts. However, please think twice before getting a Ronin tattoo!

磬 means “chime stones,” but I'm including it here for those looking for the original Chinese character for the Vietnamese name Khánh.

Other definitions include ancient percussion instrument made of stone or jade pieces hung in a row and struck as a xylophone, sounding stone, ancient Chinese chime shaped like a chevron.

There is also a possibility that your original character is 慶 which means to celebrate or felicity. Contact me if you need that character.

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.

砂 means sand or gravel in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The radicals in the character imply the grit from ground-down stone or rock.

This can also be the Japanese surname Sunahama.

This is a Chinese word that means gem.

This literally means “precious stone.”

碧玉 is the Chinese and Japanese Kanji title for jasper (the reddish stone composed of quartz and other minerals).

Jasper can also be a Japanese female given name, romanized as Hekigyoku.

石田 is the name Ishida (sometimes romanized as Ishuda), which is a Japanese surname and place name.

As a given name in Japanese, it can be Sekiden.

The meaning of this name is stone rice field.

This is a Japanese word that means meteorite (literally “star stone”).

This is also the common given name “Seiseki.”
Please note this is not the only Japanese given name that romanizes as Seiseki. Be sure to get the right one before order (contact me first if needed).

玉 is how to write jade in Chinese, Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji. This refers to the semi-precious stone that can be almost white or a vivid green.

Note: In Japanese, this character can mean jewel, ball, sphere or coin depending on context.

If your name is Jade, you may want to choose this to represent your name by meaning rather than pronunciation.

While known in the west as fu dogs or foo dogs, these are actually guardian lions.

These are the lion statues traditionally placed at the entrance of Chinese imperial palaces, imperial tombs, temples, and high-ranking officials' homes. These days, you are more likely to see them at the entrance to a fancy Chinese restaurant.

石獅子 means “stone lion(s).”

怡紅院 is from “The Story of the Stone” by Cao Xueqin.

For some reason, this phrase was translated as “House of Green Delights” when the novel was published in English. The translator took some liberties and believed that “green” had a more positive feel than red to a western audience. Therefore, the phrase shown to the right is “House of Red Delights” (which is the most original and correct way).

鉄心石腸 is a Japanese proverb that suggests you should have the inner-strength and will as hard and steadfast as iron.

It's the Japanese way of saying, “stay strong.” This is an especially uplifting thing to say to a person in distress or recovering from a disaster. It's kind of the survivor's creed.

If you literally translate this, it means “iron will, stone guts” or “iron heart, rock-hard bowels.”

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.

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).