Spell My Name in Korean in old Korean Hanja...

年年有餘 is a common proverb or wish of prosperity you'll hear around the time of Chinese New Year.

Directly translated character by character, it means “Year Year Have Surplus.” A more natural English translation including the deeper meaning would be “Every Year may you Have Abundance in your life.”

On a side note, this phrase often goes with a gift of something related to fish. This is because the last character, “yu” which means surplus or abundance, has exactly the same pronunciation in Mandarin as the word for “fish.”

This is also one of the most common titles for traditional paintings that feature koi fish.

In China, this phrase might make an odd wall scroll - a customer asked especially for this common phrase which is why it appears here. See my other abundance-related words if you want a wall scroll that will seem more comfortable in Chinese culture.

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

See Also:  Prosperity | Good Fortune

苦海無邊, 回頭是岸 can be translated almost directly as “The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore.”

Often this proverb refers to how Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering. But it can apply to other religions. If you find yourself trapped in the hardship of this worldly life, take a new turn, and seek a path to salvation.

冥福 is an unusual Chinese, Japanese, and Korean term that means afterlife happiness, happiness in the next world, or the happiness of the dead.

手不釋卷 is a Chinese proverb that literally means “always with a book in hand.”

It's a proverb said of a hardworking scholar or student.

This may refer to a student or scholar who is diligent and hardworking. It's a great gift for a student or scholar who loves books.

你一直在我心中 means “You are always in my heart” in Chinese.

你 = You
一直 = Always
在 = In/At
我 = Me/My
心中 = Heart/Mind

The idea or definition of heart and mind kind of overlap in ancient Chinese, so this can also mean “You are always in my mind.”

所有的成功都無法補償家庭的失敗 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated into English as “No success can compensate for failure in the home.”

Also, the word “home” can be exchanged with “family.”

和美 is a word that means “harmonious” or, “in perfect harmony.”

The deeper meaning or more natural translation would be something like, “beautiful life.”

The first character means peace and harmony.

The second character means beautiful. But in this case, when combined with the first character, beautiful refers to being satisfied with what you have in your life. This can be having good relations, good feelings, comfort, and having enough (with no feeling of wanting).

Note: In Japanese, this is often used as the name "Wami." This title is probably more appropriate if your audience is Chinese.

Any woman with affection for Asian art will love a gift of this Chinese proverb calligraphy on a wall scroll.

She will melt in your arms as you tell her the meaning of these characters.

Contained in this phrase is a reference to the most beautiful woman in Chinese history. Her name was Xi Shi, and she was known to have good looks that need not have fine robes or makeup. Her charms were so powerful that she brought down an entire kingdom (in a successful effort to bring honor and pride back to her people).

情人眼里出西施 is a great way to express that the woman in your life is your one love.

美しさは見る人の目の中にある means “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” in Japanese.

Japanese grammar and word order are different than English, but I will partially break this down for you:
美しさ = Beauty
は = is/relates
見る = to look/see
人の = person's
目の = eye's
中にあ = inside
る = !

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

相信自己 means “believe in yourself” in Chinese.

自分を信じる means “believe in yourself,” “have faith in yourself,” or “believe in myself” (can be myself or yourself depending on if you're saying it to yourself or someone else).

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

身土不二 (Shindofuni) is originally a Buddhist concept or proverb referring to the inseparability of body-mind and geographical circumstances.

This reads, “Body [and] earth [are] not two.”

Other translations or matching ideas include:
Body and land are one.
Body and earth can not be separated.
Body earth sensory curation.
You are what you eat.
Indivisibility of the body and the land (because the body is made from food and food is made from the land).

Going further, this speaks of our human bodies and the land from which we get our food being closely connected. This phrase is often used when talking about natural and organic vegetables coming directly from the farm to provide the healthiest foods in Japan.

Character notes: 身(shin) in this context does not just mean your physical body but a concept including both body and mind.
土 (do) refers to the soil, earth, clay, land, or in some cases, locality. It's not the proper name of Earth, the planet. However, it can refer to the land or realm we live in.

Japanese note: This has been used in Japan, on and off, since 1907 as a slogan for a governmental healthy eating campaign (usually pronounced as shindofuji instead of the original shindofuni in this context). It may have been hijacked from Buddhism for this propaganda purpose, but at least this is “healthy propaganda.”

Korean note: The phrase 身土不二 was in use by 1610 A.D. in Korea, where it can be found in an early medical journal.
In modern South Korea, it's written in Hangul as 신토불이. Korea used Chinese characters (same source as Japanese Kanji) as their only written standard form of the language until about a hundred years ago. Therefore, many Koreans will recognize this as a native phrase and concept.

See Also:  Strength and Love in Unity

佛は衆生の中に在り is “Butsu wa shujo no naka ni ari” and means that the Buddha (potential for Buddhahood) exists in all beings in the universe.

So yes, your dog has the potential to be a Buddha (but only in a future reincarnation as a human). But all things, from the tiny cricket to the humpback whale have Buddha nature within them. If one takes the time to look and contemplate, one will see the Buddha in all things.

In Japan, sometimes the Buddha character is written 仏 instead of 佛, so you might see the whole phrase written as 仏は衆生の中に在り.

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

失意泰然 is a very old Japanese proverb that suggests “keeping calm and collected at times of disappointment,” or “maintaining a serene state of mind when faced with adversity.”

It's hard to relate individual character meanings to the overall meaning unless you also understand Japanese grammar. The word order is very different than English. That being said, here's the character meaning breakdown:
失 To miss, lose or fail.
意 Feelings, thoughts, meaning.
泰 Safe, peaceful.
然 Like that, in that way, however, although.

Using these definitions in English, we might say, “Although you may fail or lose, have a feeling of peace and calm.”

把舵的不慌乘船的稳当 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [If the] helmsman is not nervous, the passengers [will feel] secure.

Figuratively, this means: If the leader appears confident, his/her followers will gain confidence also.

This is a great suggestion that a confident leader inspires confidence in his/her troops or followers. Of course, a nervous leader will create fear in troops or followers.

我的命運我掌握 is a way to write “I control my own destiny” in Chinese.

The direct translation is more like, “My destiny, I'm in control.” The meaning is the same, but Chinese grammar and word order vary a bit from English.

There's a few other variations, and if you want any of these, just email me:
我的命运我做主 (wo3 de ming4 yun4 wo3 zuo4 zhu3) "my destiny, I'm in charge"
我的未来我掌握 (wo3 de wei4 lai2 wo3 zhang3 wo4) "my future, I'm in control"
我的未来我做主 (wo3 de wei4 lai2 wo3 zuo4 zhu3) "My future, I'm in charge"

道場で泣き戦場で笑う is a Japanese phrase that means “Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.”

You'll see this phrase in a lot of dojos as a kind of philosophical joke.

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

See Also:  The More We Sweat in Training the Less We Bleed in Battle

大名 is the title Daimyō in Japanese, which means “lord” or “great name.”

This has the same meaning in Chinese as “great name,” or “your distinguished name.” In ancient Japan, this referred to a feudal lord.

Also sometimes romanized from Japanese as Daimio, Daimyou, Oomiyou, or Oomyou.

我命由我不由天 is often translated as “The one that shapes my destiny will always be myself rather than the God” or “Rather than Heaven, I am the master of my fate.”

Breaking down the words directly:
我命 = My fate/destiny
由我 = depends (on) me
不 = not
由天 dependant (on) Heaven.

See Also:  Choose Your Own Destiny

信仰 means firm belief, faith, persuasion, conviction, and sometimes religion or creed in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This clearly fits the religious connotation of the English word “devotion.”

This is often used to refer to a person of faith or a religious person.

This can be directly translated as “firm belief,” “creed,” “conviction,” or simply as “religious,” depending on context.

Some will also use this to mean “trust in God” in Japanese (though the term for God is not actually in this title).

It should be noted that this word is a little strange alone on a wall scroll.

While this can be pronounced in Japanese, it’s not a great selection for a wall scroll if your audience is Japanese.

See Also:  Faith | Trust | Devotion | Trust | Trust in God

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

信念 expresses the idea of “having a belief” or “trusting in the unseen.”

信念 could also be translated as beliefs or convictions.

Note: Also considered to be one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.

See Also:  Devotion | Dedication | Trust

深謀遠慮 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean proverb that means “deep plans and distant thoughts,” “to plan far ahead,” or “far sight and deep design.”

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).

永远在我心中 means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Chinese.

永駐我心 is one of a few ways to write “always in my heart” or “forever in my heart” in Chinese.

The first character means eternal, forever, or always.

The second character means resides, in, or stationed (in the case of troops).

The third character means me, my, or mine.

The last character means heart (but can also mean mind or soul).

永遠在我心 means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Chinese.

This is the shorter, somewhat lyrical version of this phrase.

永遠 forever/eternal
在 at/in/exists
我 me/myself/my
心 heart/mind/soul

いつまでも私の心の中に means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Japanese.

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

永遠に私の心の中に means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Japanese.

The character breakdown:
永遠 (eien) eternity; perpetuity; immortality; permanence.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing.
私の (watashi no) my; mine.
心の中 (kokoro no naka) the middle of one's mind; the midst of one's heart.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing (makes this “in” the middle of one's heart).

Note: There’s more than one way to say "Forever in My Heart" in Japanese, so you’ll find another version in our database. This is the very verbose version.

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

原諒我的罪孽 is a religious phrase, which means exactly what the title suggests.

See Also:  Christian

私の手を与える means “I give you my hand,” in Japanese.

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

天之御中主神 is a phrase submitted by a customer.

I do not have information on the origin of this phrase.

上帝是我的法官 is not a traditional Chinese phrase.

We professionally translated it for a customer's request (in proper Chinese grammar).

See Also:  God | Justice

整 is a single Chinese character that can mean: in good order, whole, complete, entire, in order, orderly, to repair, to mend, to renovate, and/or to fix something or somebody.

This was added for a customer who wanted a single character that meant orderly. It's kind of unusual for a wall scroll.

My Korean Hanja dictionary defines it as orderly, neat, tidy, and/or whole.

Note: In Japanese, this Kanji is usually understood as a male given name Hitoshi (other Kanji can also be Hitoshi). It is used in combination with other Kanji or Hiragana to create words about orderliness. Unless your name is Hitoshi, this single character is best if your audience is Chinese.

整然 is orderly, systematic, well-organized, trim, neat, tidy, and accurate in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja.

This would be understood but is not used in Chinese languages.

葉隠れ is the Japanese word hagakure, which means “hidden in the leaves.”

葉隠れ is also used as a semi-idiom to mean “doing good deeds without calling attention to oneself.”

This Japanese proverb simply reads, “[In] Flowers it's Cherry Blossoms, [In] Men it's Warriors.”

花は櫻木人は武士 is meant to say that of all the flowers in the world, the cherry blossom is the best. And of all men in the world, the Samurai or Warrior is the best

This proverb has been around for a long time. It's believed to have been composed sometime before the Edo Period in Japan (which started in 1603).

Some will drop one syllable and pronounce this, “hana wa sakura hito wa bushi.” That's “sakura” instead of “sakuragi,” which is like saying “cherry blossom” instead of “cherry tree.”

The third character was traditionally written as 櫻. But in modern Japan, that became 桜. You may still see 櫻 used from time to time on older pieces of calligraphy. We can do either one, so just make a special request if you want 櫻.

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

四海為家 literally reads, “Four Seas Serve-As [my/one's] Home.”

Together, 四海 which literally means “four seas” is understood to mean “the whole world” or “the seven seas.” It's presumed to be an ancient word from back when only four seas were known - so it equates to the modern English term, “seven seas.”

This can be translated or understood in a few different ways:
To regard the four corners of the world all as home.
To feel at home anywhere.
To roam about unconstrained.
To consider the entire country, or the world, to be one's own.

我行我素 is a way to say, “I walk my own path,” or “to continue in one's own way,” in Chinese.

This does not always have a completely positive connotation. It can mean ignoring advice or to persist in your path, no matter what others say or think.

耶稣基督是我救主 is a Chinese phrase that reads “Jesus Christ is my savior.”

イエスキリストは私の救い主です is a Japanese phrase that means “Jesus Christ is my savior.”

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

耶穌是我救主 is a Chinese phrase that reads, “Jesus is my savior.”

イエスは私の救い主です is a Japanese phrase that means “Jesus is my savior.”

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

耶穌是我的生命 means Jesus is my life in Chinese.

The first two characters are a transliteration of the name Jesus into Mandarin Chinese.
The third character means, is.

The fourth and fifth mean my or mine.

The last two characters mean life, as in lifespan, or from birth to death.

This is not a common phrase for Chinese Christians, but this is the best way to translate this idea from English to Mandarin Chinese.

覺性 represents “The enlightened mind free from all illusion,” “The nature of enlightenment in one's mind,” or “The Buddha-nature.”

To reach this “enlightened nature,” one must form their mind into and utilize their mind as the agent of knowledge, or enlightenment.

闇打狐狸明打狼 is a Chinese proverb that translates as: Hunt foxes stealthily, [and] hunt wolves openly [just as they do].

Figuratively, this means:
Different opponents require different appropriate strategies.

This is a suggestion that you should know your enemy and know that each enemy is different, therefore requires a specialized approach (attack).

See Also:  Art of War Military

谦逊正直温柔忍耐克己不屈 are the virtues used by Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts.

The characters shown here are in the ancient Korean Hanja form of writing. If you wish for a Korean Hangul form of these tenets, we can arrange that with our Master Calligrapher Xing An-Ping (click on the Hangul next to the South Korean flag above to order this in Hangul).

This 和諧生活 title suggests that you have, or want to get your life in balance.

The first two characters regard the idea of balance, harmony, and peace.

The second two characters mean “life.” More specifically this refers to your livelihood, career, and the daily activities that comprise your life or living. Some would translate those two characters as “one's daily existence.”

Note: We have a couple of titles for this idea. This version is more of a noun, thus "The Balanced Life" verses a verb form like "Balancing [Your] Life."

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.”

調和生活 is a Japanese title that suggests that you have, or want to get your life in balance.

The first two Kanji mean harmonious or in harmony.

The second two Kanji mean “life.” More specifically this refers to your livelihood, career, and the daily activities that comprise your life or living.

生活中的每一次呼吸 means “life in every breath” in Chinese.

This phrase is more like “every breath in life” as if it's a quantity of breaths that makes up your life.

There are many ways to understand this phrase in English, so this is one of a few ways it could be translated into Chinese. If you’re looking for a different meaning, please contact me.

吐く息一つにも生命が宿り means “life in every breath” in Japanese.

This phrase is more like “every single breath as you live and dwell.”

The characters breakdown this way:
吐く息 (hakuiki) to breathe; exhaled air; one's breath; breathing.
一つ (hitotsu) one; only; just.
にも (nimo) also; too; as well; even.
生命 (seimei) life; existence; living.
が (ga) particle.
宿り (yadori) to lodge; to dwell; lodging; abode; shelter.

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

兼聽則明偏聽則暗 is an ancient Chinese proverb about getting all the information from all sides so that you truly understand a situation.

Wei Zheng

A man named Wei Zheng lived between 580-643 AD. He was a noble and wise historian and minister in the court of the early Tang Dynasty. The emperor once asked him, “What should an emperor do to understand the real-world situation, and what makes an emperor out-of-touch with reality?”

Wei Zheng replied, “Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; listen to only one side and you will be left in the dark.”

Then Wei Zheng went on to cite examples of leaders in history that were victorious after heeding both sides of the story, and other leaders that met their doom because they believed one-sided stories which often came from flattering lips.

Please note that there is an unwritten rule when the same character appears twice in the same phrase, the calligrapher will alter the appearance so that no two characters are exactly alike in the same piece. This calligraphy has two repeating characters that will be written differently than they appear here.

現世 is a very short way to write “live in the moment” or “live in the now” in Japanese.

This short word is open to interpretation. It's used in Japanese Buddhism to mean “the current epoch” or “the current age” (the current age is but a brief moment in the greater scope of existence). In that context, this is pronounced “utsushiyo” or “ustusiyo” in Japanese. Otherwise, it's pronounced “gensei” in Japanese.

Other translation possibilities include:

Note: This is also a word in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. While the meaning is more or less the same, this is not recommended for a wall scroll if your audience is Chinese or Korean. This selection is best if your audience is Japanese.

安居樂業 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja proverb for “living in peace and working happily,” or “to live in peace and be content with one's occupation.”

生活于繁榮中 means “live in prosperity.” It's kind of a suggestion to be prosperity the center of your world.

This is the way some people want to live (and you should always live for what you love). However, this phrase does not suggest a peaceful life - rather one that is always busy. It's not for everyone, but it might be for you.

See Also:  Prosperity

耶和華是我的牧者 is the first line from Psalms 23 straight out of the Chinese Union Bible.

This reads, “The LORD is my shepherd,” or “Jehovah is my shepherd.”

The character breakdown:
耶和華 = Jehovah (most English Bibles translate as LORD or God). This Chinese title is meant to sound a bit like the original Hebrew YHWH or Yahweh.
是 = is.
我的 = my.
牧者 = shepherd.

爱得死去活来 is a Chinese phrase that means “to be madly in love.”

It almost literally means “Love as if your life depended on it,” or “Love you to death, just to live.”

气剑体一致 often gets translated as “Mind Sword Body,” or “Spirit, Sword, and Body as One.” But I think these translations don't tell you enough about what this is really saying.

In this context, 気, which is the modern Japanese version of 氣, means spiritual and unseen energy or “life energy.” In some cases, 気 can be translated as spirit, feeling, or nature. If defined as the mind, it's more about the invisible or intangible parts of one's mind (or soul).

剣 is the Japanese version of 劍 meaning sword.

体 is the modern Japanese version of 體 meaning body.

The Kanji 一 means one, and in this case, suggests “all in one.” The Kanji 到 means to send, deliver, or convey. But together, 一到 suggests all these things in agreement, union cooperation, or in concert.

Note: Arguments exist as to whether this should be romanized as Kikentaiitchi, Kikentaiicchi, or kikentaiichi. Technically, if you drop the last character, you get 気剣体一 and kikentaiichi (ki ken tai ichi), which is also a valid phrase.

廉恥 simultaneously means “sense of honor” and “sense of shame” in Korean.

This term is often used as a tenet of Taekwondo, where the English terms “integrity” and “modesty” are applied.

廉恥 is also a Chinese word, though it is usually read with the “sense of shame” meaning, and is a poor choice for a wall scroll if your audience is Chinese.

我兒 means “my son” in Chinese.

The first character means my, mine, me, or I (it's possessive in this case).

The second character means son (or baby).

Note: 我兒 is a very unusual title for a calligraphy wall scroll.

我心真愛 is a slightly poetic way to express this sentiment to someone.

The meaning is “My True Love,” but the characters directly translate as “I/Me/My Heart/Mind True/Real Love.”

Note that Chinese grammar and construction are different, so this sounds very eloquent and artsy in Chinese.
In Korean Hanja, the third character should be written differently. Just let me know when you place your order if you want that version - it will still make sense in Chinese. This phrase makes sense in Korean but is not commonly used.

真実の愛 means “true love” or “genuine affection” in Japanese.

The first two Kanji mean true, real, genuine, or authentic.
The third Kanji is a connecting possessive article.
The last character is love or affection.

僕のヒーローアカデミア is the title “My Hero Academia” or “Boku no Hīrō Akademia” in Japanese.

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

我的生命因为有你就完整 means “My life is complete because of you” in Chinese.

我的生活我做主 is a Chinese phrase that can be translated as “My life, my rules,” or “My life, I call the shots.”

The first four characters say, “my life.”

The fifth character is I, me, and/or my.

The last two characters can be interpreted in a variety of ways, just as to make the decision, to take charge of, to call the shot, or to make the rule.

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).

自然界の均衡 is a verbose way to say “nature in balance” in Japanese.

The first three Kanji have the meaning of “the natural world” or “the natural kingdom” (kind of like the animal kingdom but including plants and all things biological).
The third character is a Hiragana that acts to connect the two ideas here.
The last two Kanji mean equilibrium or balance.

自然の調和 means “nature in harmony” in Japanese.

The first two Kanji mean nature (as in mother nature or the natural world).
The middle Hiragana is a possessive article that connects the two ideas.
The last two Kanji mean “in harmony” or “in balance.”

決して諦めるな is a Japanese term that informally means “never give up.”

It's also a Japanese way to say “never surrender.”

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

See Also:  Tenacity | Perseverance | Hope

勝不驕敗不餒 is a Chinese proverb suggesting you should have no arrogance when you experience a victory and not despair in failure or defeat.

老當益壯 is a Chinese proverb that means “old but vigorous” or “hale and hearty despite the years.”

Said of someone who is more spirited when he/she grows older.

The story behind this Chinese proverb:

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a man named Ma Yuan. He had been planning to herd animals on the frontier since he was young. When he grew up, Ma became a minor official of a county.

Once, he was sending some prisoners to another location. He felt pity for them, so he set them free, and then he fled to another county in the north. He herded animals there, and thus his dream came true. He always said: “If you want to be a great man, the poorer you are, the firmer in spirit you have to be; the older you are, the more spirited you should be.”

Later, when he was even older, Ma Yuan became a famous general of the Eastern Han Dynasty and contributed to many battles.

This Japanese title can be translated as “for this time only,” “chance meeting,” “one meeting, one opportunity,” “never again,” or “one chance in a lifetime.”

The characters literally mean “one time one meeting” - of course, the Kanji characters have meaning far beyond a direct translation like this.

Some might use this proverb to talk of an opportunity that presents itself just once in your life. It could also be a one-and-only chance meeting with your true soul mate. An expression of any event that might happen once in a lifetime.

This is primarily a Japanese title, however, there is also a Traditional Chinese (and old Korean) version of this proverb. Just the last character is different.
The traditional form was used in Japan before WWII and in Korea prior to 1900. This title is somewhat known in China.

If you want the older traditional form, just click on the character to the right.

掌上明珠 is a Chinese proverb that literally means “a pearl in the palm.”

Figuratively, this is used to describe, or as a title for, a beloved person. This can especially apply to a daughter.

行不更名坐不改姓 is a Chinese proverb that means “I am who I am (and I'm not ashamed).”

Figuratively, it means to be proud of one's name and stand by one's actions.

被雨淋過的人不怕露水 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as “One who has been drenched by the rain is not afraid of dew drops.”

Figuratively, this means:
One who has gone through hardships is not afraid of (minor)setbacks.

輪廻転生 is a Japanese Zen quote or proverb that expresses the idea of all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth or the circle of transmigration.

打たれ強い is often used as a martial arts term.

It means being able to take a lot of punishment or being able to take a hit. In Japanese baseball, it can also refer to the pitcher's ability to keep his cool when the batter gets a hit. 打たれ強い is generally about being resilient and strong in the face of criticism or adversity.

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

力愛不二 is a proverb that literally means:
“Strength [and] Love [are] Not Two [separate ideas/concepts/things].”

You'll find this proverb translated from Japanese to English as:
Love and strength are not separate.
Power and love are indivisible.
Strength and love in harmony.
Strength and love stand together.

Old Japanese grammar is quite different than English, and so this proverb says a lot within the brevity of just 4 characters. If you just read these characters directly as “Strength Love Not Two,” you'd probably miss the real meaning.

According to the Swedish Shorinji Kempo Federation, this is the second characteristic of Shorinji Kempo.

This post really explains the concept best in my opinion: Bushido by MS: Riki Ai Fu Ni, which states: "Riki Ai Funi" is the philosophy that power (Riki) and love (Ai) are indivisible. More concretely, a person, who is powerful but does not have love, cannot control and misuse his/her power; on the other hand, a person, who has loved ones but is not powerful enough, cannot protect himself/herself nor loved ones.

將軍 is the more Chinese and Korean Hanja version or General.

There is a slight variation in the way the first character is written compared to the Japanese Shogun (将軍) title. So if you want to specifically refer to a Chinese or Korean General, this is the way. Japanese people would still easily identify this as “shogun.”

Note: This term is also used for Admiral in Korean in a certain context (if you need a better title for Admiral, just let me know).

坐禪 describes the act of sitting in a state of deep meditation.

You'll notice that the second character is Chan/Zen (often used to title the meditative form of Buddhism).

In Korean Hanja, this means “religious meditation” (roughly the same as the Chinese definition).

Buddhists may define this as sitting in dhyāna, abstract meditation, fixed abstraction, or contemplation.

Japanese note: This will make sense in Japanese but the Kanji shown to the left are partially in ancient/traditional Japanese form. Japanese Buddhists may use 坐禪, 坐禅, 座禪, or 座禅. The most standard/modern Japanese form of this word is shown to the right. Click on the Kanji to the right (instead of the button above) if you want this specifically Japanese version.

入靜 is used in Taoism and Qi Gong to describe the state you can reach while sitting quietly in meditation. It contains the idea of achieving a highly-tranquil and peaceful state. Some may describe this state as “sleeping while still awake.”

If you have a relaxation or meditation room, this is the calming wall scroll that you would want hanging in that room.

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.

See Also:  Blood Sweat and Tears

南無三寶 means to take refuge in the three treasures (of Buddhism).

This starts with the phonetic “南無” or “Namo/Namu” trying to sound like the original Pali or Sanskrit, followed by “三寶” being more literally the three treasures.

歸依三寶 means to take refuge in the three treasures (of Buddhism).

This is the literal (there is also a partially-phonetic version) way to express taking refuge in the three treasures by the actual meaning of the characters.

永遠愛在一起 is “together forever in love” in Chinese.

It's a nice phrase if you're a couple who plans to stay together and make your love last as long as you live.

信靠上帝 means “Trust in God,” “Faith in God,” “Rely upon God” and/or “Believe in God.”

相信上帝 means exactly what the title suggests. The first two characters mean “trust” or “believe,” and the second two mean “God” (as in the God of Abraham and the God of Zion).

Thisis also how the American phrase “In God We Trust” as seen on U.S. Currency would be translated into Chinese. It would also be correct to say that this means “Believe in God,” though, in this arrangement/context, one would be more likely to interpret it as “trust.”

神の信仰 is the simplest way to express “Trust in God” in Japanese.

The first character means God, deity, divinity, or spirit (in this case, it will be read as God).

The second character is a particle that links the ideas.

The last two characters mean faith, belief, or creed in a religious context.

神を信ぜよ is a way to express “Trust in God” in Japanese.

The first character is “God.”

The second character is a particle that links the ideas here.

The last three characters are a word that means “to believe,” “to believe in,” “to place trust in,” “to confide in,” and “to have faith in.”

Basically, this is the Japanese phrase for “Have faith in God,” “Belief in God,” or “Trust in God.”

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

酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 is a nice Asian proverb if you know a vintner or wine seller - or wine lover - although the actual meaning might not be exactly what you think or hope.

The literal meaning is that someone drinking wine is more likely to let the truth slip out. It can also be translated as “People speak their true feelings after drinking alcohol.”

It's long believed in many parts of Asia that one can not consciously hold up a facade of lies when getting drunk, and therefore the truth will come out with a few drinks.

I've had the experience where a Korean man would not trust me until I got drunk with him (I was trying to gain access to the black market in North Korea which is tough to do as an untrusted outsider) - so I think this idea is still well-practiced in many Asian countries.

VS

Please note that there are two common ways to write the second character of this phrase. The way it's written will be left up to the mood of the calligrapher, unless you let us know that you have a certain preference.

See Also:  Honesty | Truth

人生で一番大事な日は二日ある。生まれた日と、なぜ生まれたかを分かった日 is Mark Twain's quote, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why” in Japanese.

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

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).

吾道一以貫之 is a phrase from the Analects of Confucius that translates as “My Way has one thread that runs through it.”

Other translations include:
My Way is penetrated by a single thread.
There is one single thread binding my Way together.
My Way is run through with a unifying thread.
My Way is Consistent.
And sometimes poetic license is taken, and it is translated as:
My Way is the only one; I'll treasure it and stick to it with humility until the end.

After this was said, some 2500+ years ago, another disciple of Confucius clarified the meaning by stating, “Our master's Way is to be loyal and have a sense of reciprocity.”

In Japanese, this is purported to be romanized as “Waga michi ichi wo motte kore wo tsuranuku,” though some will argue the true pronunciation.

Note: Sometimes written 吾道以一貫之 instead of 吾道一以貫之 with no difference in meaning.

In Taoist and Buddhist contexts, 行道 means to “Walk in the Way.” In Buddhism, that further means to follow the Buddha truth. In some Buddhist sects, this can mean making a procession around a statue of the Buddha (always with the right shoulder towards the Buddha).

Outside of that context, this can mean route (when going somewhere), the way to get somewhere, etc.

In Japanese, this can be the surname or given name Yukimichi.

花園里的戰士好過戰場上的園丁 is the Chinese for the phrase, “It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”

This proverb is purported to come from the following exchange:

A student approaches his samurai master and says,
“Teacher, you instruct me how to fight, yet you preach to me about peace. How do I reconcile the two?”
The samurai responds,
“Because it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”

This literally means: [The value of] soldiers/warriors lies in [their] quality.
兵在精 is part of a longer phrase that ends with “not [just] in [their] quantity.”

兵在精 is a well-known phrase in military circles, so the second part is suggested when one hears or reads these three characters.

See Also:  兵在精而不在多