We have many options to create artwork with Truth characters on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Truth Asian character tattoo, you can purchase that on our Chinese and Japanese Tattoo Image Service page and we'll help you select from many forms of ancient Asian symbols that express the idea of truth.
Since you are looking for truth, don't forget to check out Honesty
Quick links to words on this page...


Beyond "truth" in Chinese, this can also be used to say "the actual facts" or "genuine" depending on context.
This also means "truth" in Japanese, just not as commonly used.
See Also... Honesty


Means "truth", "actual" or "reality" in Japanese. The second character is modified or no longer used in Chinese vocabulary - so this is Japanese only.


This is a Buddhist concept that simply stated is "appreciation of truth by meditation".
It's a deep subject, but my understanding is that you can find truth through meditation, and once you've found truth, you can learn to appreciate it more through further meditation. This title is not commonly used outside of the Buddhist community (your Asian friends may or may not understand it). The literal translation would be something like "the mind seal", I've seen this term translated this way from Japanese Buddhist poetry. But apparently, the seal that is stamped deep in your mind is the truth. You just have to meditate to find it.
Soothill defines it this way: Mental impression, intuitive certainty; the mind is the Buddha-mind in all, which can seal or assure the truth; the term indicates the intuitive method of the Chan (Zen) school, which was independent of the spoken or written word.
Reference:Soothill-Hodous Dictionary of Chinese Buddhism
See Also... Zen


This is a Chan / Zen Buddhism concept that means "to understand (mystery) from meditation", or "to see truth flash through the mind".
This is a pretty deep idea, therefore, your own study and contemplation may be required before you can fully appreciate it.





This is a nice one 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










Characters shown
above are read
vertically, starting
from the right
This literally means: [If one not does] not make comparisons, [one will] not know [the truth] when [one] compares, [one will be] greatly surprised.
This goes to the idea that if you do not know bad times, you cannot know what good times are.
...And...
You can not know light without experiencing darkness.
Another way to translate this would be: If you wish to be enlightened, you need to make comparisons and analyze every aspect (of a situation, issue or problem).
Line from Shakespeare's Hamlet
Mandarin: yóu qí yào jǐn de nǐ bì xū duì nǐ zì jǐ zhōng shí














Characters shown
above are read
vertically, starting
from the right
This is the classic translation of a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet into Chinese.
Also known as the Five Cardinal Rules of Confucius
Mandarin:
rén yì lǐ zhì xìn
Korean: 인의예지신





These are the core of Confucius philosophy. Simply stated they are:
benevolence / charity
justice / rectitude
politeness / tact
wisdom / knowledge
fidelity / trust
Many of these concepts can be found in various religious teachings. Though it should be clearly understood that Confucianism is not a religion, but should instead be considered a moral code for a proper and civilized society.
See Also... Confucius Teachings | Ethics






This is a word list that was requested by a customer. Word lists are not that common in Chinese, but we've put this one on the best order/context to make it as natural as possible.
We used the "honor" that leans toward the definition of "dignity" since that seemed like the best match for the other two words.
Please note: These are three two-character words. You should choose the single-column format when you get to the options when you order this selection. The two-column option would split one word or it would be arranged with four characters on one side and two on the other.


In Chinese, this is a word that is used to describe a person with an honest and loyal reputation. Or basically, somebody you can trust.
In Korean, this word means fidelity, truthfulness, or faithfulness.
In Japanese: faith, fidelity and loyalty.


Honesty is being truthful and sincere. It is important because it builds trust. When people are honest, they can be relied on not to lie, cheat or steal. Being honest means that you accept yourself as you are. When you are open and trustworthy, others can believe in you.
Please note that the second Kanji sometimes has an alternate form in Japanese. Let us know if you want the alternate form shown to the right.
Note: This entry is cross-listed as "integrity" because it also fits that definition.

This character means real, true, honest, or solid. It is one of several ways to express the idea of truth.
Note: In some context, this can carry extended meanings of reality, actuality, really, sincerity, or substance.

This character means truth, faith, fidelity, sincerity, trust and/or confidence.
This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here

This is another character that expresses the idea of honesty. It can also mean truth, faith, believe in, fidelity, sincerity, trust and/or confidence.
Some have included this in the list for the Bushido, although "makoto" is probably more common/popular.
Note: In some context, this character can mean letter; news or envoy. However, alone, it will generally be read with the honesty-meaning.
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here
See Also... Loyalty Trustworthiness Trustworthy


Integrity is living by your highest values. It is being honest and sincere. Integrity helps you to listen to your conscience, to do the right thing, and to tell the truth. You act with integrity when your words and actions match. Integrity gives you self-respect and a peaceful heart.
Please note that the second Kanji sometimes has an alternate form in Japanese. Let us know if you want the alternate form shown to the right.
Note: This entry is cross-listed as "honesty" because it also fits that definition.
Beyond Integrity, this word also means "upright" and "honest" in Chinese. Means "integrity", "honesty" or "frankness" in Japanese.


This is the Japanese version of integrity which can also be defined as a combination of "sincere, honest and faithful".
Some may also define this as "loyal" or "loyalty". In some context, it can mean "genuine". Yes, all of this meaning in just one Japanese word!

This is the simplest way to write the word loyalty in Chinese and Japanese. A single character like this leaves the meaning open. But alone, a Chinese or Japanese person would think of loyalty to duty or loyalty to one's master (in ancient times). I suppose that it could be loyalty to your boss or company in this day in age. This character can also mean fidelity or faithfulness.




This 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 not commonly used.


This one way to say best friend in Chinese.
The first character can mean "honest" or "most sincere". The second character means "friend" or "friends" (plural forms work differently in Chinese).
See Also... Friendship | Soulmates


This is the true essence of sincerity. It takes strength of personality to be truly sincere without over-doing it. Speaking of strength, this is probably the strongest way to convey the idea of sincerity in the Chinese language without over-doing it.
The first character literally means true, real, and genuine. While the second character means sincere and honest.


This word means sincere, solid, and faithful.


This is literally "True Love" in Chinese.
The first character means "real", "true" and "genuine". The second character means "love" and "affection".
During the customization of your calligraphy wall scroll, there is a place to add an inscription. You might want that inscription to be your names in Chinese down the side of your wall scroll, or perhaps just below these two main characters (just $9 extra). A nice gift to celebrate an anniversary or marriage!

This is a simple way to express the idea that something is real, true, truth or genuine.
Occasionally, this character is used to refer to a Buddhist sect that originated in the 13th century.
This character is commonly used as a compound with other characters to create ideas like "true love".
There are two ways to write this character, shown here is the most common way in China, however, a slight stroke variation is used in Korean Hanja. If you want that version, just let us know when you place your order.
See Also... Honesty




This is often translated as, "True victory is victory over oneself".
However, literally, it means, "True victory (is) my victory". At least the way I read it - Japanese not being my first language.
We'll have this checked by our Japanese translator during our next annual review.


Trust is having faith in someone or something. It is a positive attitude about life. You are confident that the right thing will happen without trying to control it or make it happen. Even when difficult things happen, trust helps us to find the gift or lesson in it.
This word can also be translated as confidence, reliance, or dependence; thus it can also mean "to rely on" or "to depend on".
There is a slight deviation in the Japanese Kanji form of the second character. If you want the modern Japanese version, please click on the special Kanji shown to the right instead of the button above. Note that the traditional Chinese form is still readable and understood by Japanese people.
See Also... Confidence | Honor
Wall scroll artwork shown on this page is priced as follows:
1 character $29.88 each
2-3 characters $39.88 each
4 characters $49.88 each
5-10 characters $59.88 each
11 or more characters $69.88 each
After you select your calligraphy, our website will take you through the process of customizing your artwork.
Options for other mounting such as portraits are available for $13 less.
We also offer the services of a famous master calligrapher for a $40 fee on any scroll if you are looking for investment-quality calligraphy.
If you chose our famous master-calligrapher, you also get more choices for silk and paper colors and the option for larger artwork.
All of our calligraphy is completely done by hand in the ancient way.
When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to our 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.
Therefore, allow at least 3 weeks for delivery from the time you place your order.
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The scroll that I am holding in this picture is a "regular size"
4-character wall scroll.
As you can see, it is a great size to hang on your wall.
(We also offer custom wall scrolls in larger sizes)
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.
The following table is only helpful for those studying Chinese (or Japanese), and perhaps helps search engines to find this page when someone enters Romanized Chinese or Japanese
| Title | Characters Simplified Traditional |
Japanese Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Hanyu-Pinyin (Romanized Chinese) | |||
| Truth | 真相 真相 | shin sou shinsou shin so | zhēn xiàng zhen xiang | zhen1 xiang4 zhenxiang | ||
| Truth | 真実 真實 | shinjitsu | n/a | |||
| Appreciation of Truth by Meditation | 心印 心印 | n/a | xīn yìn xin yin | xin1 yin4 xinyin | ||
| Truth Flashed Through The Mind | 参悟 參悟 | n/a | cān wù can wu | can1 wu4 canwu | ||
| In Wine there is Truth | 酒后吐真言 酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 | n/a | jiǔ hòu tǔ zhēn yán jiu hou tu zhen yan | jiu3 hou4 tu3 zhen1 yan2 jiuhoutuzhenyan | ||
| Comparison Leads to Truth and Enlightenment | 不比不知道一比吓一跳 不比不知道一比嚇一跳 | n/a | bù bǐ bù zhī dào yī bǐ xià yì tiào bu bi bu zhi dao yi bi xia yi tiao | bu4 bi3 bu4 zhi1 dao4 yi1 bi3 xia4 yi4 tiao4 | ||
| ...And this above all to thine ownself be true. | 尤其要紧的你必须对你自己忠实 尤其要緊的你必須對你自己忠實 | n/a | yóu qí yào jǐn de nǐ bì xū duì nǐ zì jǐ zhōng shí you qi yao jin de ni bi xu dui ni zi ji zhong shi | you2 qi2 yao4 jin3 de ni3 bi4 xu1 dui4 ni3 zi4 ji3 zhong1 shi2 | ||
| The Five Tenets of Confucius | 仁义礼智信 仁義禮智信 | n/a | rén yì lǐ zhì xìn ren yi li zhi xin | ren2 yi4 li3 zhi4 xin4 renyilizhixin | ||
| Fidelity Honor Courage | 信义尊严勇气 信義尊嚴勇氣 | n/a | xìn yì zūn yán yǒng qì xin yi zun yan yong qi | xin4 yi4 zun1 yan2 yong3 qi4 xinyizunyanyongqi | ||
| Honest and Loyal Reputation | 信义 信義 | shingi | xìn yì xin yi | xin4 yi4 xinyi | ||
| Honesty | 正直 正直 | shoujiki shojiki | zhèng zhí zheng zhi | zheng4 zhi2 zhengzhi | ||
| Honesty | 实 實 | n/a | shí shi | shi2 shi | ||
| Honesty | 诚 誠 | makoto | chéng cheng | cheng2 cheng | ||
| Honesty / Fidelity | 信 信 | shin | xìn xin | xin4 xin | ||
| Integrity | 正直 正直 | shoujiki shojiki | zhèng zhí zheng zhi | zheng4 zhi2 zhengzhi | ||
| Integrity - Sincere Honest and Faithful | 誠実 誓實 | sei jitsu seijitsu | n/a | |||
| Loyalty to Duty or Master | 忠 忠 | chuu chu | zhōng zhong | zhong1 zhong | ||
| My True Love | 我心真爱 我心真愛 | n/a | wǒ xīn zhēn ài wo xin zhen ai | wo3 xin1 zhen1 ai4 woxinzhenai | ||
| Most Sincere Friend / Honest Friend / Real Friend / Best Friend | 挚友 摯友 | n/a | zhì yǒu zhi you | zhi4 you3 zhiyou | ||
| Sincere / True Sincerity | 真诚 真誠 | n/a | zhēn chéng zhen cheng | zhen1 cheng2 zhencheng | ||
| Sincerity and Faithfulness | 笃实 篤實 | n/a | dǔ shí du shi | du3 shi2 dushi | ||
| True Love | 真爱 真愛 | shinai | zhēn ài zhen ai | zhen1 ai4 zhenai | ||
| True / Real / Genuine | 真 真 or 眞 | shin | zhēn zhen | zhen1 zhen | ||
| True Victory is Victory Over Oneself | 正胜吾胜 正勝吾勝 | masa katsu a gatsu masakatsuagatsu | n/a | |||
| Trust | 信赖 信賴 | shinrai | xìn lài xin lai | xin4 lai4 xinlai | ||
| If you have not set up your computer to display Chinese, the characters in this table probably look like empty boxes or random text garbage.
This is why we spent hundreds of hours making images so that you could view the characters in the "Truth" listings above. If you want your Windows computer to be able to display Chinese characters you can either head to your Regional and Language options in your Win XP control panel, select the [Languages] tab and click on [Install files for East Asian Languages]. This task will ask for your Win XP CD to complete in most cases. If you don't have your Windows XP CD, or are running Windows 98, you can also download/run the simplified Chinese font package installer from Microsoft which works independently with Win 98, ME, 2000, and XP. It's a 2.5MB download, so if you are on dial up, start the download and go make a sandwich. | ||||||
All custom calligraphy items are made-to-order in our little Beijing artwork-mounting workshop.
Normal delivery isjust over 3 weeksfor these handmade items.
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