Virtues and Words to Live By

This is the word most often used in Chinese, Korean and Japanese to mean accomplishment or achievement. This word can also be used to mean success, attain a result, fulfillment, realization, or completion.

The best kind of love to have I suppose. This word has the well-know character for love. But the second character modifies and/or reinforces the meaning to become adore, adoring love, or to love and adore.

I say that I suppose this is the best kind of love because adoring someone is fine, until you are in the shoes of the Prince of the Kingdom of Wu. This Prince adored a certain beautiful woman (Xi Shi) so much that he neglected his duties, and soon let the kingdom fall into ruins.

This is a two-character word used often in Chinese, old Korean, and ancient Japanese to express beauty.

I've had a few requests for a "two-character beautiful" and this is by far the best word. This is not a common word for an Asian person to want on a wall scroll. However, you will see it commonly used as an adjective in phrases, stories, and titles throughout magazines and signage in China.

This word can also be translated as gorgeous or lovely.

Note: This word is not common in modern Japan.

This word written in Chinese or Korean Hanja can also mean "grace of character" or "noble virtue".

There is a slight variation in the modern 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 (it's the ancient Japanese form anyway).

This word is often used to describe the beauty of a woman. It's also the first character in the word for "beauty salon" which you will see all over China.

For a bit of trivia: The title for the "USA" in Chinese is "Mei Guo" which literally means "Beautiful Country". This name was bestowed at a time before Chairman Mao came to power and decided that China didn't like the USA anymore (even though we fought together against the Japanese in WWII). But these days, Chinese people love Americans (but have distaste for American politics and policy). But I digress...

This is also how "Beautiful" is written in Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja.

See Also...  Beautiful Woman | Beautiful Girl

This single character is often part of other words with similar meanings. Alone, this character can mean to believe, truth, faith, fidelity, sincerity, trust and confidence in Chinese, old Korean Hanja and Japanese Kanji.

It is one of the five basic tenets of Confucius.

In Chinese, it sometimes has the secondary meaning of a letter (as in the mail) depending on context, but it will not be read that way when seen on a wall scroll.

See Also...  Faith | Trust | Confucius

Beyond "benevolence" word can be also be defined as "charity" or "mercy" depending on usage.

The meaning suggests that one should pay alms to the poor, care for those in trouble, and take care of his fellow man (or woman).

This is one of the five tenets of Confucius. In fact, it is a subject in which Confucius spent a great deal of time explaining to his disciples.

I have also seen this benevolent-related word translated as perfect virtue, selflessness, love for humanity, humaneness, goodness, good will, or simply "love" in the non-romantic form.

This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here

See Also...  Love | Altruism | Kindness | Charity | Brotherhood | Confucius

This means benevolent heart or merciful heart in Japanese. This is a Japanese only phrase, and must be ordered using one of our master calligraphers (We suggest our Japanese master calligrapher). This is because the third character is special Hiragana.

Chances are you are into Inuyasha and are seeking the title of chapter 471 which is often translated as "Merciful Heart".

See Also...  Love | Altruism

This character can be translated as bravery or courage in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. This is the simplest form to express courage or bravery, as there is also a two character form which starts with this same character.

This character can also be translated as brave, daring, plucky or heroic.

This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here

These characters can also be translated as: braveness, valor, heroic and/or courage in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

See Also...  Warrior | Courage

This is the love between siblings. When you love, protect, care for, and have a deep bond that only brothers or sisters can.

The actual translation is "Hand and Foot" but it is said the relationship between brothers or sisters is like that of hands and feet. They belong together, and complete the body. Even though this says "hand and foot", it will always be read with the brotherly and sisterly love meaning in Chinese.

Note: During the past 20 years, the "One child policy" in China is slowly making this term obsolete.

These two characters mean calm and collected, or simply not nervous.

These two characters represent the idea of being calm or cool in Chinese, Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja.

My Korean dictionary further defines this as quiet, calm, tranquility, pacification.
From my Japanese dictionary: calm, quiet, tranquility, appeasement, pacification.

Note: This term is also used in Korean Hanja, but there is a slight deviation in the way they write the second character in Korean. Still, a Korean person who can read Hanja, will be able to read this word. We can write it in the Korean form if you wish (just let us know when you place your order). In Korean, this is the word you might use to tell someone to "calm down" or "take it easy".

These characters mean calm and cool-headed.

Other translations: calmness, composure, coolness, serenity.

This is a good wall scroll for someone that wants to remind themselves to stay calm and level-headed.

This character is used in a lot of compound words in the CJK world. Alone, this character has a broad span of possible meanings. These meanings include relaxed, quiet, rested, contented, calm, still, to pacify, peaceful, at peace, soothing or soothed.

This character and even the pronunciation was borrowed from Chinese and absorbed into both Japanese and Korean. In all these languages, this character is pronounced like "an".

Caring is giving love and attention to people and things that matter to you and anyone who is in need of help. When you care about people, you help them. You do a careful job, giving your very best effort. You treat people and things gently and respectfully. Caring makes the world a safer place.

This means caring in Chinese, and is also a word in Korean Hanja, but with more of a flavor or "taking an interest" and "concern".

Note, this is also a word in Korean Hanja, but in Korean, it means taking interest or concern. In Korean it's still a good word, but it doesn't quite have the "caring for a person" meaning that it does in Chinese.

See Also...  Love | Benevolence | Altruism

Charity is one of the "Seven Heavenly Virtues". There are a few different words used to express charity in Chinese/Japanese, but this is the most common. Some of the other words describe acts such as "giving alms" etc. If you need a different meaning, just post your request on our Asian calligraphy forum.

Note: Sometimes translated as benevolence or benevolent.

See Also...  Benevolence | Altruism

In Chinese, this would be defined as "The state of being sexually pure" or "chaste". Culturally, this especially applies to young women. This is not actually far off from our western view on this subject. In Japanese and Korean, this could also be used to express virtue, faithfulness and fidelity.

See Also...  Modesty

This would be associated with "chastity" but with the direct meaning of clean, innocent, and pure. If you were expressing the idea of a "pure heart" in Chinese, while not literal, this would be the word you would use.

In Japanese, this word is sometimes used to express purity.

In Korean, it describes purity, chastity, virginity, and innocence (basically the same as the Chinese definition).

Commitment is caring deeply about something or someone. It is deciding carefully what you want to do, and then giving it 100%, holding nothing back. You give your all to a friendship, a task, or something you believe in. You finish what you start. You keep your promises.

In Chinese, this word directly means to undertake something or to make a promise to do something.

Within the idea of commitment, this word also means to make a big effort, or undertaking a great task. Outside of the commitment idea, this particular word can also mean approval, acceptance, consent, assent, acquiescence, or agreement depending on context (especially in Japanese and Korean). Therefore this word is probably best if your audience is Chinese.

See Also...  Partnership | Hard Work | Dedication

Compassion is caring and understanding someone is hurt or troubled (even if you don't know them). It is wanting to help, even if all you can do is listen and say kind words. You forgive mistakes. You are a friend when someone needs a friend.

These same two characters contain this meaning of compassion and sympathy in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which makes this word universal.

See Also...  Love | Caring | Kindness

Confidence is having faith in someone. Self-confidence is trusting that you have what it takes, to handle whatever happens. You feel sure of yourself and enjoy trying new things, without letting doubts or fears hold you back. When you have confidence in others, you rely on them.

The first character means faith, and the second can mean heart or soul. So you could say this means "faithful heart" or "faithful soul". In Korean especially, this word has a religious connotation.

In Japanese, this word can mean "faith", "belief" or "devotion".

See Also...  Self-confidence

Cooperation is working together and sharing the load. When we cooperate, we join with others to do things that cannot be done alone. We are willing to follow the rules which keep everyone safe and happy. Together we can accomplish great things.

The first character means "united" or "to coordinate". The second character means "to do", "to make", or "to compose". Knowing this, you can understand why together, these characters create a word that can be defined as "cooperation" in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

It is implied that you are cooperating to create some project or product.

See Also...  Partnership | Commitment

If you look at the second character, which means "strength" or "power", and then you look at the first character, you will see that the first character seems to represent multiple "strengths" together. Thus you can visually see the meaning of this word as "stronger when working together". The combination of characters that form this word is commonly seen in Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja, but not used in China (however, a Chinese person could probably guess the meaning, and it can be pronounced in Chinese).

It is implied that you are cooperating to create some project or product.

This can also be translated as "joint effort".

See Also...  Partnership | Commitment

The title says it all.

This could also be translated as:
"Never hesitate to do what is right".

See Also...  Work Unselfishly For The Common Good | Justice | Bravery

Courage is bravery in the face of fear. You do the right thing even when it is hard or scary. When you are courageous, you don't give up. You try new things. You admit mistakes. Courage is the strength in your heart.

While the version shown to the left is commonly used in Chinese and Korean Hanja (and ancient Japanese Kanji), please note that the second character is written with slightly fewer strokes in modern Japanese. If you want the modern Japanese version, please click on the character to the right. Both styles would be understood by native Chinese, Japanese, and many (but not all) Korean people. You should choose character based on the intended audience for your calligraphy artwork. Or pick the single-character form of bravery/courage which is universal.

See Also...  Warrior

In Chinese, this word means "etiquette" or "courtesy".

You'll also find a Japanese entry on our website which uses a simplified Chinese first character. This entry is the traditional Chinese and Korean Hanja version - a better choice if your audience is Chinese or Korean.

Note: This can also be translated as propriety, decorum, or formality.

In Japanese, this word means "manners", "courtesy" or "etiquette".

This also clearly means etiquette in Chinese, though the first Japanese Kanji is the simplified version in Chinese. Therefore this word will be understood by both Japanese and Chinese people, but best if your audience is mostly Japanese.

See Also...  Kindness | Respect

Courtesy is being polite and having good manners. When you speak and act courteously, you give others a feeling of being valued and respected. Greet people pleasantly. Bring courtesy home. Your family needs it most of all. Courtesy helps life to go smoothly.

If you put the words "fēi cháng bù" in front of this, it is like adding "very much not". It's a great insult in China, as nobody wants to be called "extremely discourteous" or "very much impolite".

See Also...  Kindness | Respect

Creativity is the power of imagination. It is discovering your own special talents. Daring to see things in new ways and find different ways to solve problems. With your creativity, you can bring something new into the world.

The first character means "to create" the second means "to make or build". Together they mean "creative". The third character means "strength". So altogether, these three characters are a word that means "strength of creativity" or sort of "creativity (is your) strength".

This is the Japanese and Chinese word that deals with curiosity. It is a rather positive word in both languages.

This is the kind of dedication you might have to your job, or a person.

Trivia: It is the same word used as an adjective in front of the word for "network" to say "dedicated network" in Chinese.

Please note: While this is a word in Korean, the meaning is private or "exclusive use". So this is best if your audience is Chinese.

See Also...  Devotion | Passion | Tenacious | Commitment

The first two characters mean resolute with firm determination.
The second two characters mean reliable.

Together, this creates a 4-character expression that clearly means dependable.

You focus your energy and efforts on a task and stick with it until it is finished. Determination is using your will power to do something when it isn't easy. You are determined to meet your goals even when it is hard or you are being tested. With determination we make our dreams come true.

The first characters means "to determine" or "determined". The second character means "heart" or "soul", so you can imagine that this form of "determination" partially means to put your heart into something. It can also be translated as resolve, resolution, or decision (as in a decision made and followed).

See Also...  Devotion | Tenacious | Passion | Dedication

This can be translated as "to dedicate oneself to...", "self-devotion" or "dedication". Some would also translate this as "commit ones energy to", "devote to", or "self-sacrifice" (especially in Korean).

While the form shown to the left is considered an ancient Japanese version, in modern Japan, they use the simplified version of the first Kanji (shown to the right).
Click on this Kanji instead of the button above if you want this modern Japanese version.

If you are looking for a more religious meaning, see faith.

See Also...  Confidence | Dedication

This is a wide-ranging word that is used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. It can mean aggressive, enterprising, vigorous, energetic, devotion, diligence, concentration of mind, purification, pushing, or assiduity. Used in the context of Buddhism, it means making earnest efforts to cultivate virtue and get rid of evil.

This word is universal in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. It can mean earnestness, enthusiasm, ardor, zeal, devotion, or fervor.

This means firm belief, faith, persuasion, conviction, and sometimes religion or creed in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. This word clearly fits religious connotation of the English word "devotion".

See Also...  Faith | Trust

This form of honor is showing great respect for yourself, other people, and the rules you live by.

When you are honorable, you keep your word. You do the right thing regardless of what others are doing.

This is the kind of personal honor or dignity that is of great value. If you lose this, you have lost yourself, and perhaps the reputation of your family as well.

While this is not directly the same thing as "face" or "saving face" in Asian culture, it is associated with the same concept in China.

In Japan, they currently use a more simplified second character for this word. The ancient Japanese form is the same as China, but after WWII some Kanji were changed. If you want the modern Japanese version, just click on the Kanji image shown to the right, instead of the button above.

Diligence is working hard and doing your absolute best. You take special care by doing things step by step. Diligence helps you to get things done with excellence and enthusiasm. Diligence leads to success.

These characters can also be translated as industry, industrious, assiduity, assiduous, diligent, or sedulity.

See Also...  Hard Work | Tenacity | Commitment | Passion For A Cause

This single-character means diligence or "sense of duty" in Chinese and Korean (also understood in Japanese, but not commonly-seen as a stand-alone Kanji).

As a single character on a wall scroll, this will only be seen with this meaning. However, in certain context, it can mean "frequent".

If you, or someone you know is a hard-worker (or needs a reminder to be diligent), then this is the wall scroll to have in your/their office.

See Also...  Tenacity | Undaunted

Discipline: There are a few different ways to define this word in English. This Asian word conveys the idea of extreme self-control and perhaps self-sacrifice, and obedience. This matches what I was taught as the meaning of "discipline" when I was in the Marine Corps. There is also an additional idea of maintaining order or being orderly in your tasks.

This idea would also fit an athlete training for the Olympics who gives up many pleasures to stay focused on their training.

See Also...  Self-control | Willpower

This is the Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja word that is used for discipline. This has a meaning like "forging or creating something from lots of training and practice". My Japanese dictionary translates this as, "tempering, forging, hardening, disciplining, training". This is for Japanese and Korean only. In Chinese, these characters might be translated as (physical) "exercise".

The modern form of the second Japanese Kanji looks like the first image to the right. The one below it is an alternate form. Because calligraphy is an art, the calligrapher could choose any of these possible forms. Let us know if you have a preference. Note that the form shown in the upper left is really the old/ancient/traditional Japanese/Chinese.

See Also...  Self-control | Willpower

If you have a sense of duty or sense of responsibility, this might be the wall scroll that you want to hang above your desk. It is a great way to quietly remind yourself to take pride in your duties at all times.

In different context, this can mean "official duties" or "position".

Beyond elegant and exquisite elegance, this is also the word used to say "beautiful" when referring to a work of art.

Can also be translated as exquisiteness, gracefulness.

Note: Not a commonly-used word in Japanese.

This word means "to endure" or "lasting". In some context, it can mean "persistent" or "persistence" (especially in Japanese and Korean).

The first character means to open, to start, to begin, to commence or to explain. The second character means deception or ignorance. Basically it suggests that enlightenment is the opening or cutting through what deceives you in the world or the ignorance of the world. This title can also mean "to educate".

The Japanese and Korean version of the first character of this title varies slightly from the Chinese. Please click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above, if you want the Japanese/Korean version.

This is the same as the translation of "Passion for a cause" in Chinese. Enthusiasm is being cheerful, happy, and full of spirit. It is doing something wholeheartedly and eagerly. When you are enthusiastic, you have a positive attitude.

This Chinese word can also be translated as "sincere and warm" or literally "warm sentiment / affection".

See Also...  Motivation | Passion | Commitment | Tenacity | Happiness