When I got off active duty in the Marines, I suddenly discovered that everyone who was on active duty seemed to be very proud of that fact. These Japanese / Chinese characters are offered to those servicemen with that pride.

Please note that there is a longer, yet more natural phrase that means "Active Duty Soldier" or literally "Active Duty Military Person" - see the next entry...

Score: 100/100

This means "Active Duty Soldier" or literally "Active Duty Military Person". It's a great way to show your pride in being an active duty member of the armed forces.

The first two characters mean "active duty" and the second two characters can be translated as "military personnel", "soldier", or "serviceman" (it is unisex, so male or female is not indicated).

If anyone is looking for "reservist" just post your request on our Asian calligraphy forum.

See Also...  Military | Warrior

Score: 100/100

This word closely matches the way initiative is often used in English. This word can also mean active, energetic, vigorous, positive (outlook), or proactive in Chinese.

The meaning also includes positive and progressive in Japanese and Korean.

Score: 100/100

In Chinese, this word means "to take the initiative".

In Japanese and Korean, the meaning varies slightly to a meaning that leans more toward "leadership" (as in one who is leading a group or organization).

Score: 50/100

This means archer, shooter, or marksman in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. Depending on context, it can also mean "goal getter" in Chinese. This would also be the word for bowman.

This word is kind of modern in Asia, meaning that it's only been in use for a few hundred years. However, the more ancient version of archer is often not even recognized by the current generation of Chinese and Japanese people.

The first character means "shoot" or "fire" (in the context of a gun or bow). It's also a suffix for radioactive things (in the context of chemistry) - radioactive things "fire off" electrons. In Japanese, that first Kanji is a shortname and suffix for archery.

The second character means "hand", but hand can also mean a person, in the same way that "farmhand" is a person in English.

Score: 29/100

This is the character for horse in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese.

If you were born in the year of the horse, you . . .


Are outgoing and active.
Don't give up easily.
Are known to have a bad temper.

See also our Chinese Zodiac page.

Score: 20/100

This is the character for monkey in Chinese.
This means ape in Japanese due to a error made long ago as Japan absorbed Chinese characters.

If you were born in the year of the monkey, you . . .


Are smart, brave, active and competitive.
Like new things.
Have a good memory.
Are quick to respond
Have an easy time winning people's trust.
Are however, not very patient.

See also our Chinese Zodiac page.

Note: This character does have the meaning of monkey in Korean Hanja, but is not used very often.

Score: 20/100

This title can be defined as Zen contemplation in Japanese, or sit quietly in (Buddhist) meditation in Chinese. It also carries a similar meaning in Korean Hanja. Therefore, this is a rather universal term for meditation in the context of Buddhism throughout the Orient.

Can also be translated as "Meditatively equipoised" or "enter into meditation by stilling the karmic activities of deed, speech, and thought".

The original Sanskrit word is samapanna. In Tibetan: snyoms par zhugs pa.

Score: 14/100

This is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism. Right Effort, along with Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration constitute the path to Concentration or Perfect Thought.

Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake in each moment, the effort to overcome laziness and defilement, the effort to make each activity of our day meditation. This concept is about pursuing wholesome things that promote good karma.

Another definition: Cultivation of what is karmically wholesome and avoidance of what is karmically unwholesome.

This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.

See Also...  Buddhism | Enlightenment

Score: 14/100

Wu Wei is a Daoist (Taoist) tenet, that speaks to the idea of letting nature take its course.

Some will say it's about knowing when to take action and when not to. In reality, it's more about not going against the flow. What is going to happen is controlled by the Dao (Tao), for which one who follows the Dao will not resist or struggle against.

There is a lot more to this concept, but chances are, if you are looking for this entry, you already know the expanded concept.

Warning: Outside of Daoist context, this means idleness or inactivity (especially in Japanese where very few know this as a Daoist concept).

Score: 14/100

This 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".

Score: 14/100

This two-character word of Chinese origin means forgive or forgiveness. This is a deep kind of forgiveness from the bottom of your heart.

In a religious context, this is the kind of forgiveness that you beg God for.

In Korean Hanja, this can also be defined as forbearance or leniency.

In Japanese Kanji, beyond forgiveness, this can also mean magnanimity or generosity.

While we don't actively recommend Asian tattoos, this would be the forgiveness title which is best for a tattoo in most cases.

Note: The first character can also be written in the form shown to the right (especially in Japanese). If you have a preference, please let us know in the "special instructions" when you place your order.

Score: 10/100

This title suggests that you are actively trying to keep your life in balance. Think of this as being 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".

Note: This can be pronounced in Japanese, but this title has not been confirmed by our Japanese translator.

Score: 10/100