Custom Will-Power Chinese & Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

These two characters are a way to express "perseverance" with the idea of "willpower" in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. It can also mean "strong willed".

The first character means "strong" and "persistent", while the second means "strength" and "power".

Self-discipline means self-control. It is doing what you really want to do, rather than being tossed around by your feelings like a leaf in the wind. You act instead of react. You get things done in an orderly and efficient way. With self-discipline, you take charge of yourself.

Not sure if this one works for a Japanese audience.

See Also...  Discipline | Self-Control

This is the form of will power or self-control is about having the determination or tenacity to keep going.

In Japanese, this is the power of will, volition, intention, intent, or determination.

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

This is a form of discipline which suggests training of the mind and character, aimed at producing self-control, obedience, etc.

One of my Chinese-English dictionaries even translates this as "tempering oneself" or turning yourself into hardened steel.

In old Korean Hanja, they use these characters in reverse order, but with the same meaning. If you want the Korean version, please click this link instead of the button above: Korean version.

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

Characters shown
above are read
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This literally translates as, "Love [your] children in [your] heart, [but] be stern [with them] in [your] manner".

This is a little like saying "Love your child, but don't spare the switch".

This word means military discipline or military principles.

If maintaining your military discipline is important to you personally, or important to your military unit, this is the wall scroll to have up behind your desk. In fact, it's the kind of thing I expect to see behind the desk of a First Sergeant or maybe a hardcore NCO.

Note: In some rare context, it could be extended to mean "morale", but "discipline" is much closer to the commonly-held definition.

Note: This term is not well-known outside of the military services in Asia (not used by the common person).

See Also...  Self-Discipline

The first two characters mean "regarding oneself", and the second two mean "to refrain" or "to restrain". So together, this has a meaning like "to restrain oneself".

See Also...  Discipline

The short and sweet version of self-control.

Note: This can also mean self-restraint.

See Also...   Discipline

When reading an account of some battles in China, I came across this Chinese word. As it turns out, it's only used in military circles to describe neat, orderly, and well-disciplined troops. Perhaps this is actually closer to the meaning I was taught while in the U.S. Marines.

The first character literally means stern, serious, strict, or severe (it can also mean "air tight" or "water tight".
The second character means exact, in good order, whole, complete, and orderly.
Together, these two characters multiply each other into a word that expresses the highest military level of discipline.

See Also...  Self-Control

This word can be translated as "self-denial", "self-abnegation", "self-restraint", "self-discipline", "self-mastery" or selflessness.

As a tenet of Korean taekwondo, and other martial arts, this is often used with the title "self-control".

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

Characters shown
above are read
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from the right

This is an old phrase that is used to wish someone great health and success combined as a great compliment.

The meaning is "The vigor and spirit of the legendary dragon-horse, and the power and prestige of the tiger".

By giving a wall scroll like this to someone, you were either wishing or telling them that they have these qualities. There is also a suggestion of good health - at least anyone with the vigor of a dragon horse, would seem to also be in good health.

This is the title for electricity in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

While this character means electric or electricity, it can also be used to mean lightning in Japanese and Korean.

See Also...  Thunder | Energy | Rain

This means exercise in much the same way we use exercise in English. This can be exercising your body at the gym, or exercising your mind in studies. Most of the time, this refers to physical exercise.

This can also be translated as to temper, to toughen, to train, to drill, to forge, or simply discipline.

While hard to translate directly, this is the best way to write "Live Strong" in Chinese. If you are a cancer survivor, or simply support Lance Armstrong's ideas, this is a nice selection for a wall scroll.

The first two characters mean strong or staunch. The last two mean living or life (daily existence). While the Chinese version is the reverse order of "Live Strong" it is the only way to write it in a natural form that is also grammatically correct.

Note that we are in no way affiliated or connected to Lance, nor his foundation. This translation is offered because of multiple requests from customers whose philosophies or ideas match those of the Live Strong idea.

See Also...  Strength | Vitality | Health | Determination | Discipline

Moderation is creating a healthy balance in your life between work and play, rest and exercise. You don't overdo or get swept away by the things you like. You use your self-discipline to take charge of your life and your time.

This word can also be translated as "self-restraint" or "temperance".

See Also...  Prudence | Ethics | Humble | Humility

This is the simplest way to express perseverance in Chinese and Korean Hanja.
This single-character version leaves a bit of mystery about what kind of perseverance you might want to convey.

In Korean, this is usually associated with "strength of character".

In Japanese, this character can be pronounced about a dozen different ways (so we have left out the Japanese pronunciation guide that normally appears above). In Japanese this Kanji would usually be translated "strong" (perhaps strong-willed).

See Also...  Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Undaunted

This means the power of understanding and insight in Chinese. It is often associated with Neo-Confucianism. In that regard, it means to realize man's true nature or to find your soul, the soul of others, or the soul of the world. Some will translate this simply as the state of being "savvy".

In Japanese, this is often translated as wisdom and understanding.

This Japanese and Korean word means "pride" or "self-respect".

The first Kanji/Hanja means "oneself". The second can mean "revered", "valuable", "precious", "noble" or "exalted". And the last Kanji/Hanja means "heart", "mind" and/or "spirit".

While these characters make sense and hold the same general meaning in Chinese, this is not a normal Chinese word. This selection should only be used if your audience is Japanese or Korean.

See Also...  Respect | Pride | Self-Reliance | Self-Control | Self-Discipline

This is used to speak of something with supernatural essence, psychic power, or having magical power in Chinese.

The simplest form of "power" or "strength".

In Japanese it is pronounced "chikara" when used alone, and "ryoku" when used in a sentence (there are also a few other possible pronunciations of this Kanji in Japanese).

In some context, this can mean ability, force, physical strength, capability, and influence.

See Also...  Strength | Vitality | Health

This phrase can mean either "strong hearted", "strong willed" or "determination". The first two characters can be translated simply as "will" but also have the element of "heart" in the lower portion of both characters (they also partially carry this meaning). The last two characters mean "strong" or "staunch".

Chinese word order and grammar is a bit different than English, so in this case, they are in reverse order of English, but have the correct meaning in a natural form.

See Also...  Strong Willed | Discipline

In short, temperance is knowing when to say "when".

Temperance is the practice of moderation and restraint (in fact, this Asian word is often translated as moderation or restraint).

It was one of the five tenets held to be vital to society in Hellenic culture. It is also one of the Four Cardinal Virtues considered central to Christian behavior by the Catholic Church.

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

If training or drill is important to you (especially for military drill and training), this might be just the thing for a drill master to hang behind his/her desk.

This term is universal in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. It can also mean practice or exercise, depending on context.