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2. Ambitious / To Improve Oneself
4. Aryan
6. Best
7. Better to Choose Nothing, Rather than Make a Poor Choice
8. Better to be Happy than Rich
11. Cesar
12. Collaboration / Cooperation / Synergy
13. Daniel
15. Desire
16. Destiny / Fate
18. Drinking the water of a well: One should never forget who dug it
19. Example is Better than Precept
20. Father and Son
21. The one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one to retreats 100
22. Filial Piety
23. Flexibility
25. Geisha
27. Good Good Study, Day Day Up
28. Grandmaster / Grand Master
29. Double Happiness
30. Humble / Modesty / Humility
31. Even The 100-Foot Bamboo Can Grow One More Foot
32. A Deliberate Inaction is Better than a Blind Action
34. Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance
35. Inspiration
37. Through the Ups and Downs of Life
39. Kai Zen / Kaizen
40. Kempo Karate / Law of the Fist Empty Hand
41. Kensho Jobutsu - Enlightenment - Path to Buddha
43. Kishan
44. Contentment
45. We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity?
46. Life Goes On
47. Lion
49. Meditation
50. Mercy / Compassion / Buddhist Loving Kindness
52. Morality of Deed
54. No one knows a son better than the father
55. Optimistic
56. Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body
57. Persistence
58. Preparation Yields No Fear or Worries
59. Better to sacrifice your life than your principles
61. Prosperity
62. Push or Knock
63. Ramona
66. Self-Respect / Self-Esteem
67. Selflessness
69. Chinese or Korean Army General
71. Strength: Strong and Solid
73. Summer Season
75. Survivor
76. The More We Sweat in Training, The Less We Bleed in Battle
78. Tathata / Ultimate Nature of All Things
80. Better to Travel 10,000 Miles than Read 10,000 Books
82. Warriors: Quality Over Quantity
83. A Traditional Warm Welcome
84. Win / Victory
85. You must endure a harsh winter to appreciate the warmth of springtime
86. Aries
87. Capricorn
88. Betelgeuse
89. Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity
91. Mico
92. Nekogami
93. Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once
94. It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war
This Japanese proverb literally translates as: [After having achieved a fair degree of success,] one should still try to do better.
Others may translate this as “Always try to improve,” or “Always try to be better.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Never Give Up
Advance and Progress
上進 is a Chinese and Japanese Kanji word that means to advance, to make progress, to do better, to be ambitious, to improve oneself, or to move forward.
This can refer to a single person, general things (such as a work project), or a whole country.
In Japanese, this is sometimes used as the given name Joushin.
military strategy, tactics, and procedure
孫子兵法 is the full title of the most famous book of military proverbs about warfare.
The English title is “Sun Tzu's The Art of War.”
The last two characters have come to be known in the west as “The Art of War,” but a better translation would be “military strategy and tactics,” “military skills” or “army procedures.”
Note: Sometimes the author's name is Romanized as “Sun Zi” or “Sunzi.”
It's written the same in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.
This is a common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Aryan.
This is also a Chinese loanword derived from the Sanskrit ārya. The term “Aryan” can be better described as “Indo-Iranian” or “Indo-European.” You'll also see this word used when referring to “Indo-Aryan languages” of Southern Asia.
美麗的女人 is the best and most polite way to express “beautiful woman” in Chinese.
Note: Some people may like the simple 2-character 美女 way to express this, but there are some bad connotations with that, so better to stay with this longer and more respectful title.
See Also: Beautiful Girl | Beauty
至 is a little strange as calligraphy, but 至 would be the character that means “best” or “extreme” in Chinese and Korean.
The problem is, this is seldom used alone. It's mostly used in combination with other characters to make words like “best friend,” “best food,” and “best love.”
I do not recommend this character for a wall scroll. It's better if you find a more specific term that fits your circumstances.
Note: This can be pronounced in Japanese and has a similar meaning but it is rarely if ever used in modern Japanese.
寧缺毋濫 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Better to have nothing (than substandard choice).”
It basically suggests that one should prefer to go without something rather than accept a shoddy option.
See Also: A Deliberate Inaction is Better Than a Blind Action
安貧樂道 means “It's better to be happy than rich” in Chinese.
Even if you are poor, you should still feel satisfied in your life...
...Satisfaction, happiness and the meaning of your life come from within yourself and not from money or riches of the world.
In Chinese, there are a lot of four-character proverbs which express some very old philosophies.
Though there are only four characters on this scroll, in Chinese, the meanings often surpass the dictionary definition of each character.
In this case, you should not set your expectations too high for the money or riches you wish to have. One who sets their expectations too high is almost always disappointed. Instead, you should cherish what you have, seek to improve yourself from within, and not measure your worth by the size of your bank account.
Speak simply, while expressing your idea completely
言簡意賅 is a Chinese proverb that suggests it is better to be brief and use fewer words while still expressing your main point or idea.
In another way to explain this, one should not use 100 words when 50 will do, or being more concise with your speech.
This can also be translated as concise, compendious, “brief in form but comprehensive in scope” or succinct.
This is a bit more positive than our other proverb for brevity.
Better to be broken jade than unbroken pottery
寧為玉碎 is the short version of a longer Chinese proverb which means “rather be shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery.”
寧為玉碎 says the “rather be a broken piece of jade” part (the second half is implied - everyone in China knows this idiom).
A little more explanation:
Death is implied with the “broken” meaning. Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, and in this case, is compared with one's honor and self-worth. Pottery is just something you eat off of; it has no deep value, just as a person who has lost their honor or had none to begin with.
Thus, this means “better to die with honor than to live in shame” or words to that effect.
This is often translated in English as “Death Before Dishonor,” the famous military slogan.
I would also compare this to the English proverb, “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”
Better to be broken jade than unbroken pottery
寧為玉碎不為瓦全 is the long version of a Chinese proverb that means “rather be shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery.”
A little more explanation:
Death is implied with the “broken” meaning. Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, and in this case, is compared with one's honor and self-worth. Pottery is just something you eat off of, it has no deep value, just as a person who has lost their honor, or had none to begin with.
Thus, this means “better to die with honor than to live in shame” or words to that effect.
寧為玉碎不為瓦全 is often translated in English as “Death Before Dishonor,” the famous military slogan.
I would also compare this to the English proverb, “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”
This is an idiom. It therefore doesn’t directly say exactly what it means. If you think about the English idiom, "The grass is always greener," it does not directly say "jealousy" or "envy" but everyone knows that it is implied.
協同 is a Japanese, Chinese, and Korean word that means to cooperate, in coordination with, coordinated, collaborate, collaboration, collaborative, doing together (as equals).
Some will also use this as a short way to express the western idea of synergy (collaboration for a better result). There's a longer word, 協同作用, that adds “action” to this word and more directly means synergy.
Alternate form
This is another common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Daniel.
This version drops off the third character, so it sounds a bit more like Danny than Daniel. I think our main version of Daniel is better but this is a popular transliteration according to our research on Chinese Google.
Rather die than compromise
寧死不屈 is often translated as “Death Before Dishonor.”
The literal translation is more like, “Better die than compromise.” The last two characters mean “not to bend” or “not to bow down.” Some might even say that it means “not to surrender.” Thus, you could say this proverb means “Better to die than live on my knees” or simply “no surrender” (with the real idea being that you would rather die than surrender).
寧死不降 is an ancient Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Rather die than surrender,” “Prefer death over surrender,” “To prefer death to surrender,” or simply “No surrender.”
This is probably the closest proverb to the English proverb “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”
This Chinese word can mean desirous, wishful, or desire.
The first character means to thirst for [something] or to be thirsty. The second character means to hope for, to expect, to gaze (into the distance), or to look for something. The combined meaning of these two characters changes a bit, but I think it's nice to know the individual meanings to give you a better understanding of where a word comes from.
Korean definitions of this word include craving, longing, and thirst for knowledge.
These two characters contain the ideas of fate, destiny, fortune, and luck.
You can also say that it means “what life throws at you” or “your lot in life” because the first character contains the idea of life or living.
This version is really only used in Chinese. There's another version with just the characters reversed that is more universal. In fact, skip this one. The opposite character order is better.
加護 is Japanese for “divine protection” or “the saving grace of God.”
Please consider this blessing to be Japanese only. This can have the same meaning in the context of Buddhism in Chinese, but it's also a nickname for “intensive care” at Chinese hospitals.
Note: My Japanese translator says this is not commonly used in Japanese. I added this because a customer asked for it. There is no better Japanese phrase to express this idea - so this is it if you want it.
This proverb suggests that one should always be grateful to those who helped one succeed.
And remember your ancestors and those that came before you whose sacrifices made your present life better.
Some Chinese will separate the intended meaning from this proverb and translate this as “Don't forget the people who once helped you.” In Modern China, this idiom is virtually never used to refer to an actual well.
Note: This can be pronounced in Korean but it's not a commonly used phrase.
Tell somebody how to do something and they might get it.
Show them how to do it, and they will master it in no time.
身教勝於言教 can also be translated as “Behavior teaches more than words.”
See Also: Wisdom
The pot calls the kettle black
五十步笑百步 is a Chinese proverb that means the one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one who retreats 100 paces.
During the Warring States Period of what is now China (475 - 221 B.C.), the King of Wei was in love with war. He often fought with other kingdoms just for spite or fun.
One day, the King of Wei asked the philosopher Mencius, “I love my people, and all say I do the best for them. I move the people from famine-stricken areas to places of plenty and transport grains from rich areas to the poor. Nobody goes hungry in my kingdom, and I treat my people far better than other kings. But why does the population of my kingdom not increase, and why does the population of other kingdoms not decrease?”
Mencius answered, “Since you love war, I will make this example: When going to war, and the drums beat to start the attack, some soldiers flee for their lives in fear. Some run 100 paces in retreat, and others run 50 steps. Then the ones who retreated 50 paces laugh and taunt those who retreated 100 paces, calling them cowards mortally afraid of death. Do you think this is reasonable?
The King of Wei answered, “Of course not! Those who run 50 paces are just as timid as those who run 100 paces.”
Mencius then said, “You are a king who treats his subjects better than other kings treat their people, but you are so fond of war that your people suffer from great losses in battle. Therefore, your population does not grow. While other kings allow their people to starve to death, you send your people to die in war. Is there any difference?”
This famous conversation led to the six-character proverb shown here. It serves as a warning to avoid hypocrisy. It goes hand-in-hand with the western phrase, “The pot calls the kettle black,” or the Biblical phrase, “Before trying to remove a splinter from your neighbor's eye, first remove the plank from your own eye.”
孝 represents filial piety.
Some will define this in more common English as “respect for your parents and ancestors.”
孝 is a subject deeply emphasized by the ancient philosophy and teachings of Confucius.
Some have included this in the list for the Bushido, although generally not considered part of the 7 core virtues of the warrior.
Note: 孝 is not the best of meanings when seen as a single character. Some will read the single-character form to mean “missing my dead ancestors.” However, when written as part of Confucian tenets, or in the two-character word that means filial piety, the meaning is better or read differently (context is important for this character).
We suggest one of our other two-character filial piety entries instead of this one.
靈活性 is a Chinese and Korean word that means flexibility or being open to change.
You consider others' ideas and feelings and don't insist on your own way. Flexibility gives you creative new ways to get things done. Flexibility helps you to keep changing for the better. 靈活性 could also be defined as having a “flexible nature.”
See Also: Cooperation
朋 is a simple way to say friend, companion, comrade, or pal in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, or old Korean Hanja.
朋 is a very short form, so a longer two-character word for friendship might be better.
Note: In Japanese, this can also be the female given name, Yukari.
芸者 is the real basis for the way we spell geisha.
However, there are many more ways to refer to a woman that fills the role that westerners think of when they hear the word geisha.
In Japanese, these characters literally mean “artful person.” But in English, it might be better translated as “a person (woman) highly trained/accomplished in the arts.”
However, my Japanese dictionary says “a singing and dancing girl.”
Many will argue as to whether “geisha” = “prostitute” or not. My Japanese friends seem to have the opinion that a geisha is so highly trained in the art of playing musical instruments and dancing that the fact she might also be a prostitute is secondary to her performance on stage.
芸者 is a “Japanese only” term, they use a slightly different first character to express “geisha” in Chinese. Since this is a Japanese term, I have not included the Chinese version.
I was going to write this phrase as “God is with me always” but as a wall scroll, hanging in your room, it is talking to you (you're not talking), so it works better with you.
上帝總是與你同在 is a nice phrase that any Chinese Christian would enjoy on his/her wall.
If I annotate this, it sounds a little strange in English but it's perfectly natural in Chinese:
上帝 God | 总是 always | 与 and | 你 you | 同 together | 在 existing
好好學習天天向上 is a famous proverb by Chairman Mao Zedong that sounds really strange when directly translated into English.
I include it in our database of phrases to illustrate how different the construction and grammar can be between Chinese and English. The direct translation is “Good Good Study, Day Day Up.” In Chinese, a repeated character/word can often serve to reinforce the idea (like saying “very” or suggesting “a lot of”). So “good good” really means “a lot of good.” While “day day” can be better translated as “day in day out.” The idea of “up” has a meaning in China of “rising above” or “improving.”
After understanding all of this, we come up with a slightly better translation of “With a lot of good study, day in and day out, we raise above.”
The more natural translation of this proverb would be something like, “study hard, and keep improving.”
大師範 is a Japanese title for the master, grandmaster, or senior instructor.
This is a bit of an odd selection for a piece of calligraphy artwork, so proceed with caution. Better to find an appropriate phrase or title (such as the name of the martial art) and then add something like “Grandmaster Smith” as a smaller inscription down the side.
(Happy wedding and marriage)
囍 is a common gift for Chinese couples getting married or newly married couples.
As we say in the west, “Two heads are better than one” Well, in the east, two “happinesses” are certainly better than one.
Some will suggest this is a symbol of two happinesses coming together. Others see it as a multiplication of happiness because of the union or marriage.
囍 is not really a character that is pronounced very often - it's almost exclusively used in written form. However, if pressed, most Chinese people will pronounce this “shuang xi” (double happy) although literally there are two “xi” characters combined in this calligraphy (but nobody will say “xi xi”).
If you select this character, I strongly suggest the festive bright red paper for your calligraphy. Part of my suggestion comes from the fact that red is a good luck color in China, and this will add to the sentiment that you wish to convey with this scroll to the happy couple.
謙虚 is the most common way to say humble or modest in Japanese without a derogatory meaning (some other words suggest weakness, but this version holds a better humble meaning).
In Japanese, the first Kanji means self-effacing, humble oneself, and modesty. The second means void or emptiness.
See Also: Moderation
Sometimes 一動不如一靜 is translated by others as “Look before you leap” but the more accurate and direct translation is the one I used in the title.
While somewhat military in its origin, this proverb can apply to any situation where a decision needs to be made, but perhaps there are still some “unknowns.”
This phrase suggests that in our “action-based” world, sometimes the “smarter move” is “no move at all.”
See Also: Better to Choose Nothing Rather Than Make a Poor Choice
不屈不撓 means “Indomitable” or “Unyielding.”
不屈不撓 is a long word by Chinese standards. At least, it is often translated as a single word into English. It's actually a proverb in Chinese.
If you want to break it down, you can see that the first and third characters are the same. Both mean “not” (they work as a suffix to make a negative or opposite meaning to whatever character follows).
The second character means “bendable.”
The last means “scratched” or “bothered.”
So this really means “Won't be bent, can't be bothered.” I have also seen it written as “Will not crouch, will not submit.” This comes from the fact that the second character can mean “to crouch” and the last can mean “to submit” (as in “to give in” such as “submitting to the rule of someone else”). This may explain better why these four characters mean “indomitable.”
Notes:
Some will translate this as “indomitable spirit”; however, technically, there is no character to suggest the idea of “spirit” in this word.
Other translations include indefatigability, indomitableness, or unremitting tenacity.
The first two characters can be stand-alone words in Chinese.
In Japanese, this is considered two words (with very similar meanings). It's more common to see the word order flipped to 不撓不屈 in Japanese.
The same characters are used in old Korean Hanja. Just like in Japanese, the words are swapped to 不撓不屈 creating a word pronounced “불요불굴” in Korean.
See 不撓不屈
表壯不如里壯 literally translates as: [Better to be] strong inside than [to be] strong outside.
The ancient original meaning was:
[An] able [husband] outside [working to support a family is] not as good as [an] able [wife] inside [working and saving to take care of the family].
The current meaning is:
Inner strength is more important than outward appearance.
内面の強さは外見の良さに勝る is a Japanese proverb that literally translates as “inner/internal strength/power [versus] outward-appearance [the] merit/virtue/good quality [does] excel/surpass/exceed/outweigh.”
More naturally in English, this would be “Inner Strength Outweighs Outward Appearance.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
靈感 is the Chinese word closest to hitting the mark for the English word inspiration.
In a more extended context, I have even seen this translated as “brain wave.”
The first character means alert, departed soul, efficacious, quick, effective, or intelligent.
The second character means to feel, to move, to touch, or to affect.
The combined meaning of these two characters changes a bit, but I think it's nice to know the individual meanings to give you a better understanding of where a word comes from.
You could describe this word as “the thought that pops into your head just before you patent the greatest widget ever invented that everyone in the world will want.”
At least, that's the idea.
This term can also mean “intelligent thought” if you translate it directly from each character. If you are looking for inspiration or need to be inspired, this is the word for you.
When the first character was absorbed into Japanese from Chinese, an alternate form became the standard in Japan. The Kanji shown to the right is the form currently used in Japan. This is still considered an alternate form in China to this day. it’s readable by both Chinese and Japanese people but if your audience is Japanese, I recommend the Kanji shown to the right - just click on that Kanji to order that version.
同甘共苦 is a Chinese proverb that talks of “shared delights and common hardships.”
This can be translated and understood in a few different ways, including...
To share life's joys and sorrows.
For better or for worse.
Through joys and sorrows of life.
Through all life's ups and downs.
To go through thick and thin.
To stick together through thick and thin.
To share the joys and sorrows of life.
To share pleasures and pains.
To partake in each other's joys and sorrows.
To take “for better or for worse.”
改善 means betterment, improvement, to make better, or to improve - specifically incremental and continuous improvement.
改善 became very important in post-war Japan when Edwards Deming came to Japan to teach concepts of incremental and continuous improvement (for which the big 3 auto-makers did not want to hear about at the time - even kicking Deming out of their offices). The Japanese workforce absorbed this concept when their culture was in flux and primed for change.
This kaizen term is closely associated with the western title “Total Quality Management.” Perhaps dear to my heart since I spent years studying this at university before I moved to China where TQM did not seem to exist. Slowly, this concept has entered China as well (I've actually given lectures on the subject in Beijing).
If you are trying to improve processes at your business or need to remind yourself of your continuous TQM goals, this would be a great wall scroll to hang behind your desk or in your workplace.
See Also: Kansei
空手拳法 is the Kanji title for Kempo Karate.
The first two characters mean “karate” - technically they express “empty hand.”
The last two express “fist law” which is Romanized from Japanese as “Kenpo” or “Kempo.”
That “empty hand” translation can be understood better when you grasp the idea that karate is a martial art without weapons (other than the weapons organic to your body, such as your foot, hand, fist, etc). When you practice karate, you do so with empty hands (no weapons).
Note: There is also an antiquated way to write karate. It has the same pronunciation but a different first character which means “Tang” as in the Tang Dynasty. Some dojos use that form - let us know if you need that alternate form, and we'll add it.
見性成仏 or Kenshō Jōbutsu is the initial enlightenment that leads to self-awareness, becoming Buddha, and the path to enter Nirvana.
Kenshō Jōbutsu is a complex concept in Japanese Buddhism. 見性成仏 is probably better translated as “Seeing one’s nature and becoming a Buddha.”
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Initial Enlightenment
親切 is a Chinese/Japanese/Korean word that can also mean affectionate, cordial, warm, or close (emotionally).
Kindness shows you care and are doing some good to make life better for others. Be thoughtful about people's needs. Show love and compassion to someone who is sad or needs your help. When you are tempted to be cruel, to criticize or tease, decide to be kind instead.
See Also: Love | Caring | Benevolence
知足 means content with one's situation or to know contentment (hence happiness).
From the Zen Buddhist context, Chisoku or 知足 (knowing what’s enough) means always to know and be
satisfied with one’s lot.
Human pain and suffering are born of greed, and that greed arises because we do not know what’s enough.
The Chinese philosopher, Menzi (372-289 BCE) said, “to nourish the mind, there is nothing better than to make the desires few.”
This relays the idea that the best method to cultivate the mind is to have little desire.
This figuratively means “Without a teacher, how can we learn/mature?”
人非生而知之者熟能無惑 is a philosophic pondering by Han Yu, a Tang Dynasty essayist, and philosopher (618-907 A.D.). This is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Knowledge is not innate to man, how can we overcome doubt?” or, “We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity?.”
This infers that we need the guidance of a teacher if we wish to learn, mature, and become better.
生活在繼續 means “No matter what happens, life goes on” or “For better or worse, life goes on.”
生活在繼續 is kind of modern Chinese proverb, but the meaning is generational.
生活 = to live; life; livelihood.
在 = (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress).
繼續 = to continue; to proceed with; to go on with.
獅子 is how to write “lion” in Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja.
獅子 is also lion in Chinese, but more informal. The more literary title, 雄獅, would be better for Chinese calligraphy.
忠義 is another form of loyalty or devotion.
In Chinese, this is more specifically about being loyal and devoted to your friends.
In Japanese, this is more often used to mean loyalty to your country or nation.
Except for the slight difference noted above between Japanese and Chinese, this word is understood universally in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. It can also be used to describe devotion or fidelity.
It should be noted that this Kanji combination is being used less and less in modern Japan (this is a better choice if your audience is Chinese, though any Japanese person will clearly understand it).
This encompasses the idea of meditation.
It's also a term used to describe a deep form of daydreaming, exploring one's imagination, the act of contemplating, or the idea of contemplation. 冥想 is often associated with Buddhism; however, the word “Zen” in Japanese (or “Chan” in Chinese) is probably more commonly used (or better known in the west).
See Also: Zen
Besides the title above, 慈悲 can also be defined as clemency or lenience and sometimes the act of giving charity.
In the Buddhist context, it can be defined as “benevolence,” “loving-kindness and compassion,” or “mercy and compassion.”
This Buddhist virtue is perhaps the most important to employ in your life. All sentient beings that you encounter should be given your loving kindness. And trust me, however much you can give, it comes back. Make your life and the world a better place!
This Chinese/Japanese Buddhist term is the equivalent of Metta Karuna from Pali or Maitri Karuna from Sanskrit.
慈 can mean loving-kindness by itself.
悲 adds a component of sorrow, empathy, compassion, and sympathy for others.
See Also: Benevolence
媽 is the oral way that most Chinese people refer to their mothers. Often, they will put this together twice (two of the same character in a row) to create a word that sounds like “Mama.” That's absolutely what little kids call their mothers in China. This Chinese “Mama” is the rough equivalent of “Mommy” in English. Beyond a certain age, Chinese will start to just say “Ma,” which is like saying “Mom.”
This entry is just here for a language lesson. This would make a strange wall scroll by Chinese standards. In Chinese, there are sometimes oral words that don't seem appropriate when written in calligraphy, and this is one of them. See our entry for “Loving Mother” for a better selection.
See Also: Loving Mother | Family
The idea of “morality of deed” goes along with 行德 or “wu de” (martial morality or virtues of the warrior).
Here, the first character is a representation of the actions or deeds that you engage in.
The second character refers to morality or virtue.
This translates better in English in the opposite order, as the Chinese order is literally “deed morality.”
See Also: Morality of Mind | Martial Morality
It's Never Too Late Too Mend
Long ago in what is now China, there were many kingdoms throughout the land. This time period is known as “The Warring States Period” by historians because these kingdoms often did not get along with each other.
Sometime around 279 B.C. the Kingdom of Chu was a large but not particularly powerful kingdom. Part of the reason it lacked power was the fact that the King was surrounded by “yes men” who told him only what he wanted to hear. Many of the King's court officials were corrupt and incompetent which did not help the situation.
The King was not blameless himself, as he started spending much of his time being entertained by his many concubines.
One of the King's ministers, Zhuang Xin, saw problems on the horizon for the Kingdom, and warned the King, “Your Majesty, you are surrounded by people who tell you what you want to hear. They tell you things to make you happy and cause you to ignore important state affairs. If this is allowed to continue, the Kingdom of Chu will surely perish, and fall into ruins.”
This enraged the King who scolded Zhuang Xin for insulting the country and accused him of trying to create resentment among the people. Zhuang Xin explained, “I dare not curse the Kingdom of Chu but I feel that we face great danger in the future because of the current situation.” The King was simply not impressed with Zhuang Xin's words.
Seeing the King's displeasure with him and the King's fondness for his court of corrupt officials, Zhuang Xin asked permission from the King that he may take leave of the Kingdom of Chu, and travel to the State of Zhao to live. The King agreed, and Zhuang Xin left the Kingdom of Chu, perhaps forever.
Five months later, troops from the neighboring Kingdom of Qin invaded Chu, taking a huge tract of land. The King of Chu went into exile, and it appeared that soon, the Kingdom of Chu would no longer exist.
The King of Chu remembered the words of Zhuang Xin and sent some of his men to find him. Immediately, Zhuang Xin returned to meet the King. The first question asked by the King was “What can I do now?”
Zhuang Xin told the King this story:
A shepherd woke one morning to find a sheep missing. Looking at the pen saw a hole in the fence where a wolf had come through to steal one of his sheep. His friends told him that he had best fix the hole at once. But the Shepherd thought since the sheep is already gone, there is no use fixing the hole.
The next morning, another sheep was missing. And the Shepherd realized that he must mend the fence at once. Zhuang Xin then went on to make suggestions about what could be done to reclaim the land lost to the Kingdom of Qin, and reclaim the former glory and integrity of the Kingdom of Chu.
The Chinese idiom shown above came from this reply from Zhuang Xin to the King of Chu almost 2,300 years ago.
It translates roughly into English as...
“Even if you have lost some sheep, it's never too late to mend the fence.”
This proverb, 亡羊补牢犹未为晚, is often used in modern China when suggesting in a hopeful way that someone change their ways, or fix something in their life. It might be used to suggest fixing a marriage, quitting smoking, or getting back on track after taking an unfortunate path in life among other things one might fix in their life.
I suppose in the same way that we might say, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life” in our western cultures to suggest that you can always start anew.
Note: This does have Korean pronunciation but is not a well-known proverb in Korean (only Koreans familiar with ancient Chinese history would know it). Best if your audience is Chinese.
知子莫若父 can be translated as “No one knows a son better than his father.”
This idiom is based on the idea that after spending many years together, family members know everything about each other. Better than anyone else, a father knows the qualities and shortcomings of his son.
If you are looking for something about “father and son,” this is probably the best selection.
While this is the original proverb (very old), others have been composed about various combinations of mothers, sons, daughters, and fathers. Let me know if you need a custom version.
Beyond optimistic, 豁達 can also be defined as sanguine; magnanimous; open-minded; openhearted; broad-minded.
豁達 is appropriate if you are, or want to be, the kind of person who is not bothered by the little things or minor troubles of life. This signifies a person who always feels things will get better. This is great for the person who figuratively sees a window of opportunity opening even as a door closes.
While a valid word in Japanese, this is kind of antiquated, and not in common use in modern Japan.
I remember this being shouted a lot during U.S. Marine Corps boot camp. 疼痛就是衰弱離你而去的時候 is how to write that phrase in Chinese. At least, this is as close as we could compose/translate it, and hold the full original meaning and connotations.
The version shown here is really, “Pain is weakness leaving your body.” Although it's said in English both ways (the or your), it works better in Chinese with “your.”
固執 can also mean “opinionated” or “stubborn” in Chinese and Japanese, but in the nicest way possible (still bad).
This just means “stubborn” in Korean (not a good scroll if your audience is Korean, in fact, we don't recommend this word at all). There are better ways to express this idea, such as tenacity/tenacious or perseverance... ...see the links below...
See Also: Tenacious | Fortitude | Perseverance
有備無患 means “When you are well-prepared, you have nothing to fear.”
Noting that the third character means “no” or “without” and modifies the last... The last character can mean misfortune, troubles, worries, or fears. It could even be stretched to mean sickness. Therefore you can translate this proverb in a few ways. I've also seen it translated as “Preparedness forestalls calamities.”
有備無患 is comparable to the English idiom, “Better safe than sorry,” but does not directly/literally mean this.
捨生取義 is a Chinese proverb that comes from the philosopher Mencius.
It can be translated in a few different ways:
To give up life for righteousness.
To choose honor over life
Better to sacrifice one's life than one's principles.
繁栄 is the same “prosperity” as the Traditional Chinese version, except for a slight change in the way the second character is written (it's the Japanese Kanji deviation from the original/ancient Chinese form).
Chinese people will still be able to read this, though you should consider this to be the Japanese form (better if your audience is Japanese).
Sometimes, the Kanji form shown to the right is used in Japanese. It will depend on the calligrapher's mood as to which form you may receive. If you have a preference, please let us know at the time of your order.
(also means salary)
祿 is occasionally used in China to mean prosperity or good fortune.
祿 once meant the “official's salary” in old feudal China and Korea (obviously, the officials lived well, so you can imagine how this was associated with the idea of being prosperous).
祿 is only used in Korean historical documents for “salary.” In old Japanese, this means fief, allowance, stipend, reward, pension, grant, and sometimes happiness depending on context. It's very obscure in modern Japanese.
We have other entries that are better suited for a prosperity wall scroll. This entry just addresses “the coffee cup issue” where this character has been used on coffee cups and tee-shirts. However, without context, the meaning is ambiguous to some.
To weigh one's words
During the Tang Dynasty, a man named Jia Dao (born in the year 779), a well-studied scholar and poet, went to the capital to take the imperial examination.
One day as he rides a donkey through the city streets, a poem begins to form in his mind. A portion of the poem comes into his head like this:
“The bird sits on the tree branch near a pond,
A monk approaches and knocks at the gate...”
At the same time, he wondered if the word “push” would be better than “knock” in his poem.
As he rides down the street, he imagines the monk pushing or knocking. Soon he finds himself making motions of pushing and shaking a fist in a knocking motion as he debates which word to use. He is quite a sight as he makes his way down the street on his donkey with hands and fists flying about as the internal debate continues.
As he amuses people along the street, he becomes completely lost in his thoughts and does not see the mayor's procession coming in the opposite direction. Jia Bao is blocking the way for the procession to continue down the road, and the mayor's guards immediately decide to remove Jia Bao by force. Jia Bao, not realizing that he was in the way, apologizes, explains his poetic dilemma and awaits his punishment for blocking the mayor's way.
The mayor, Han Yu, a scholar and author of prose himself, finds himself intrigued by Jia Dao's poem and problem. Han Yu gets off his horse and addresses Jia Bao, stating, “I think knock is better.” The relieved Jia Bao raises his head and is invited by the mayor to join the procession, and are seen riding off together down the street, exchanging their ideas and love of poetry.
In modern Chinese, this 反復推敲 idiom is used when someone is trying to decide which word to use in their writing or when struggling to decide between two things when neither seems to have a downside.
百聞不如一見 is a proverb that means “Better to see something once rather than hear about it one hundred times” or “Telling me about something 100 times is not as good as seeing it once.”
In English, we have the similar proverb of “Seeing is believing” but this has a bit of the “A picture paints a thousand words” meaning too.
Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.
百聞は一見に如かず is the Japanese version of an ancient Chinese proverb that means “Seeing once is better than hearing one hundred times.”
It is the rough equivalent of “seeing is believing,” “one eye-witness is better than many hearsays,” or “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once
自尊 means self-respect or self-esteem in Chinese, Korean and Japanese. It can also mean “pride in oneself.”
Note: Japanese sometimes put the character for the heart after these two. However, this two-character word is universal between all three languages (which is often better since more than a third of the world's population can read this version as a native word).
無我 is a more common way to say selflessness in Japanese. This literally means “no self,” or a better translation might be “not thinking of oneself.” 無我 is also understood in Chinese and Korean. 無我 is a very old word in CJK languages.
無我 is the word a Buddhist would use to express the idea of selflessness or unselfishness. For Korean Buddhists, it can mean self-renunciation.
See Also: Altruism
忍び (Shinobi) is a term often associated with ninjas of ancient Japan.
忍び really means stealing (into), a spy, a sneaking thief, stealth, or a surreptitious visit to a house of ill repute. However, 忍び is sometimes used to refer to an outcast ninja.
This term was somehow given a better report when various video games, TV series, and even a movie came out with this Shinobi title.
忍び are sometimes Romanized as two words: Shin obi or Shin-obi.
Note: The first character can be written as or .
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).
士兵 means “Soldier” but more specifically, a rank-and-file soldier (a private or troop - you could say a ground-pounder). Our other entry for “solider / serviceman” is probably better for a wall scroll (since someday, you will be promoted).
Note: In Japanese, they use these characters in the opposite order to create the same meaning word. In that order, it's pronounced “heishi” in Japanese. Just let us know if you want it in Japanese Kanji order when you place your order.
強固 means firmness, stability, security, and strength in Japanese.
It's not used commonly in China, but it means “powerful,” “firm,” “solid,” “strong,” or “better than others” in Chinese. There is a slight variation in the top of the first character between Chinese and Japanese. Because this is more of a Japanese word, we are showing the Japanese form here.
強固 is also a Korean word, but Korean Hanja uses the Chinese form of the first character (one tiny stroke is a little different), so just let me know if your audience is Korean when you place your order, and we'll have it written in the Chinese/Korean version.
強 is a character that means strong, strength, force, powerful, better, stubborn, and stiff (yes, all of this in one character).
This “strong” has less to do with physical strength and more to do with having a winning attitude, or just having the ability to win at something.
Note that most of the time, this character is pronounced “qiang” but when used with the meaning of stubborn, unyielding, or stiff, it is pronounced “jiang” in Chinese.
Also, sometimes “qiang” is used in modern Chinese to describe people that do crazy things (For example: Bicycling from Beijing to Tibet alone). I sometimes can be found outside my Beijing apartment wearing nothing but shorts and a tee-shirt while eating ice cream during a snow storm, just to hear my neighbors call me “qiang.” Maybe they mean “strong” but perhaps they are using the new meaning of “crazy strong.”
強 can also be a Chinese surname that romanizes as Jiang in the mainland or Chiang if from Taiwan.
強 is a valid Korean Hanja character with the same meaning but is mostly used in compound Korean words.
強 is used in Japanese (though normally in compound words). In Japanese, it has the same meaning but in some contexts can mean “a little more than...” or “a little over [some amount].” Most Japanese would read this as tough, strength, stiff, hard, inflexible, obstinate, or stubborn.
The variant 彊 is sometimes seen in older literature.
夏 is the word/character used to describe the Summer season in Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
If your name is Summer, I like this character better than transliterating a few characters together to make something that sounds like “summer.”
Monkey King
孫悟空 is the name Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King. He is the main character with supernatural powers in the ancient Chinese novel Journey to the West.
This title is also known as the real name of the Monkey King in Japanese. This can also be the Son Goku, better known as simply Goku, a fictional character of the Dragon Ball Japanese manga series.
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
廉耻精進忍耐遵守克己謙遜百折不屈 are the tenets of Tang Soo Do.
English | Old Hanja | Modern Hangul | Pronunciation |
1. Integrity | 廉耻 | 렴치 or 염치 | yeom ci |
2. Concentration | 精進 | 정진 | jeong jin |
3. Perseverance | 忍耐 | 인내 | in nae |
4. Respect & Obedience | 遵守 | 준수 | jun su |
5. Self-Control | 克己 | 극기 | geug gi |
6. Humility | 謙遜 | 겸손 | gyeom son |
7. Indomitable Spirit | 百折不屈 | 백절불굴 | baeg jeor bur gur |
After some research, it appears this list was compiled in English based on Taekwondo tenets. We filled in a few of the words that did not have a corresponding Hanja or Hangul. If someone else has a better list with characters included, please contact me.
真如 comes from the Sanskrit and Pali word often romanized as “tathata” or “tathatā.” Originally written, “तथता.”
It's a Buddhist term often translated as “thusness” or “suchness,” but this does not explain it.
A better explanation may be “the ultimate nature of all things” or “ultimate truth.” However, this gives it too strong of a feeling. This concept is sometimes described as being in awe of the simple nature of something - like a blade of grass blowing in the wind or ripples on water. It is what it is supposed to be, these things follow their nature. Amazing in their mundane simplicity.
Every sect of Buddhism will have a slightly different flavor or explanation, so don't get fixated on one definition.
Notes: Sometimes Buddhists use the word dharmatā, a synonym to tathatā.
In Japan, this can also be the female given name Mayuki, or the surname Majo.
頑強 means “Tenacious,” “Hard to Defeat,” or “Dogged.”
Alone, the first character means mischievous, obstinate, or stubborn. But it loses some of the mischievous meaning when the second character is added.
The second character means strength, force, power, or better.
See Also: Determination | Dedication | Devotion | Never Give Up
行万里路胜读万卷书 translates a few ways:
To travel ten thousand miles beats reading ten-thousand books.
Better to travel ten thousand li than to read ten thousand books. (a “li” is an ancient Chinese mile)
Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books.
No matter how you slice it, this Chinese proverb is claiming that experience is more profound and meaningful than what you can get from a book. Go do it! Don't just read about it.
兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 is a proverb that informs how it is better to have warriors of quality, rather than just a large quantity of warriors in your army/force.
This literally means: [Just as] warriors [are valued for their] quality and not [just] for quantity, [so] generals [are valued] for their tactics, not [just] for [their] bravery.
See Also: 兵在精而不在多
兵在精而不在多 is a Chinese proverb that means: [The value of] soldiers/warriors lies in [their] quality, not [just] in [their] quantity.
In simple terms, this says that regarding warriors, quality is better than quantity.
Most tacticians will agree that this can aid in the factor known as “force multiplication.” Having good troops of high morale, excellent training, and good discipline is like having a force that is three times larger.
See Also: 兵在精
歡迎光臨 would be the ultimate Chinese “welcome mat.” Except it will be on your wall, and people will not step on it.
In a somewhat literal translation, you could say it means “I feel happy as I welcome you, as you have brought a shining light to this place with your arrival,” or more simply, “I am happy you've come as your presents brightens up the place.”
It has become common for this greeting to be announced by the staff upon the arrival of any customer into a fancy store in China. You will also see these characters on the “welcome mats” in front of 4 and 5-star hotels in China.
Having this on a wall scroll is an extra nice touch. I have seen a few horizontal scrolls with this phrase on the wall behind the reception desk of better hotels or near the front door of fine shops. At the fanciest department stores and restaurants in China, several greeters (almost always young women) will stand by the front door, all wearing sashes with this phrase embroidered. As you walk in, they will bow and say “huan ying guang lin” to welcome you to the establishment.
Note: The first two and last two characters do make words in Korean Hanja but are seldom used as a sentence like this in Korean.
勝 is a single character that means to win or be victorious.
This can also be translated: To overcome; success; to beat; to defeat; to surpass; superior to; to get the better of; better than; surpassing; superb.
In another context, this can mean beautiful (scenery); scenic spot; or scenic beauty.
In Taiwanese Mandarin, this can be pronounced with the first tone (sheng1) and mean: Able to bear; equal to (a task).
In Japan, this can also be the name Masaru.
In Korea, this has the same meaning but can also be the surname Sŭng.
You must know hardship to appreciate happiness
This literally translates as: Without having experienced the cold of winter, one cannot appreciate the warmth of spring.
Figuratively, this means: One cannot truly appreciate happiness without having gone through hardship.
There are many contrasts in life. One simply cannot fully know what joy is without having experienced misery, difficulty, and pain. How could you explain “light” if you did not have “darkness” to compare it to?
Embrace hardship, as it makes the good times seem even better.
(Alternate / Chinese)
白羊座 is an alternate Chinese way to write Aries (ram) from western astrology.
I don't believe it is used at all in Japanese, so the other version is probably better or at least more universal.
See Also: Chinese Zodiac
(Alternate / Chinese)
摩羯座 is an alternate Chinese way to write Capricorn (horned goat) from western astrology.
I don't believe it is used at all in Japanese, so the other version is probably better or at least more universal.
See Also: Chinese Zodiac
參宿四 is the title for Betelgeuse (star in the constellation Orion) in Chinese.
Also known as “α Orionis” (Alpha Orionis), Alpha Ori, or in Japan the Heike-boshi or Heike-star.
Note: 参宿 (Shēn Xiù) is the name given by ancient Chinese astronomers for a constellation of three stars (the three naked-eye visible belt stars of Orion). Therefore, 參宿四 means the Fourth Star of the constellation of Three Stars (which sounds like a joke). As telescopes got better, it should be noted that there are actually 10 stars in the constellation.
布施 is the Buddhist practice of giving known as Dāna or दान from Pali and Sanskrit.
Depending on the context, this can be alms-giving, acts of charity, or offerings (usually money) to a priest for reading sutras or teachings.
Some will put Dāna in these two categories:
1. The pure or unsullied charity, which looks for no reward here but only in the hereafter.
2. The sullied almsgiving whose object is personal benefit.
The first kind is, of course, the kind that a liberated or enlightened person will pursue.
Others will put Dāna in these categories:
1. Worldly or material gifts.
2. Unworldly or spiritual gifts.
You can also separate Dāna into these three kinds:
1. 財布施 Goods such as money, food, or material items.
2. 法布施 Dharma, as an act to teach or bestow the Buddhist doctrine onto others.
3. 無畏布施 Courage, as an act of facing fear to save someone or when standing up for someone or standing up for righteousness.
The philosophies and categorization of Dāna will vary among various monks, temples, and sects of Buddhism.
Breaking down the characters separately:
布 (sometimes written 佈) means to spread out or announce, but also means cloth. In ancient times, cloth or robs were given to the Buddhist monks annually as a gift of alms - I need to do more research, but I believe there is a relationship here.
施 means to grant, to give, to bestow, to act, to carry out, and by itself can mean Dāna as a single character.
Dāna can also be expressed as 檀那 (pronounced “tán nà” in Mandarin and dan-na or だんな in Japanese). 檀那 is a transliteration of Dāna. However, it has colloquially come to mean some unsavory or unrelated things in Japanese. So, I think 布施 is better for calligraphy on your wall to remind you to practice Dāna daily (or whenever possible).
沈魚落雁 is an old proverb that literally means “fish sink, goose alights.”
...But this takes some explaining. This is a proverb from Zhuangzi (莊子), who lived in the late 4th century BC.
This figuratively refers to female beauty that is so captivating that even the birds and beasts take notice.
Perhaps a better and more accurate way to describe this is to say that it speaks of the charms of a uniquely beautiful woman who is so beautiful that fish stay on the bottom of the water and flying wild geese fall from the sky in shame.
This proverb is so famous that it is also known and used in Japan (same characters, different pronunciation).
Note: This can also be written 沉魚落雁 instead of 沈魚落雁 (just the first character varies slightly).
貓神 is the title Nekogami or “Cat God” in Japanese.
This can also be pronounced “neko shin” or “neko kami.”
猫神 is the modern Japanese version, before WWII, this would have been written 貓神 (just the first Kanji varies).
This also makes sense in Chinese, though the traditional version, 貓神, would be better for Chinese calligraphy.
百聞不如一見 is a Chinese proverb that means “Seeing once is better than hearing one hundred times” which is similar to the idea of “Seeing is believing.”
You can also get the idea, “Seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others.”
If you break it down directly, you get “100 hears/listens (is) not as-good (as) one sight.”
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.”
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Always Try to do Better | 更に上を目指す | sara ni ue o me za su saraniueomezasu | ||
Ambitious To Improve Oneself | 上進 上进 | jou shin / joushin / jo shin | shàng jìn shang4 jin4 shang jin shangjin | shang chin shangchin |
Sun Tzu - Art of War | 孫子兵法 孙子兵法 | son shi hyou hou sonshihyouhou son shi hyo ho | sūn zǐ bīng fǎ sun1 zi3 bing1 fa3 sun zi bing fa sunzibingfa | sun tzu ping fa suntzupingfa |
Aryan | 雅利安 | yǎ lì ān ya3 li4 an1 ya li an yalian | ||
Beautiful Woman | 美麗的女人 美丽的女人 | měi lì de nǚ rén mei3 li4 de nv3 ren2 mei li de nv ren meilidenvren | mei li te nü jen meilitenüjen |
|
Best | 至 | shi | zhì / zhi4 / zhi | chih |
Better to Choose Nothing, Rather than Make a Poor Choice | 寧缺毋濫 宁缺毋滥 | nìng quē wú làn ning4 que1 wu2 lan4 ning que wu lan ningquewulan | ning ch`üeh wu lan ningchüehwulan ning chüeh wu lan |
|
Better to be Happy than Rich | 安貧樂道 安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào an1 pin2 le4 dao4 an pin le dao anpinledao | an p`in le tao anpinletao an pin le tao |
|
Brief and to the Point | 言簡意賅 言简意赅 | yán jiǎn yì gāi yan2 jian3 yi4 gai1 yan jian yi gai yanjianyigai | yen chien i kai yenchienikai |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 寧為玉碎 宁为玉碎 | níng wéi yù suì ning2 wei2 yu4 sui4 ning wei yu sui ningweiyusui | ning wei yü sui ningweiyüsui |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 寧為玉碎不為瓦全 宁为玉碎不为瓦全 | níng wéi yù suì bù wéi wǎ quán ning2 wei2 yu4 sui4 bu4 wei2 wa3 quan2 ning wei yu sui bu wei wa quan ningweiyusuibuweiwaquan | ning wei yü sui pu wei wa ch`üan ning wei yü sui pu wei wa chüan |
|
Cesar | 塞薩爾 塞萨尔 | sāi sà ěr sai4 sa4 er3 sai sa er saisaer | sai sa erh saisaerh |
|
Collaboration Cooperation Synergy | 協同 协同 | kyou dou / kyoudou / kyo do | xié tóng / xie2 tong2 / xie tong / xietong | hsieh t`ung / hsiehtung / hsieh tung |
Daniel | 丹尼 | dān ní / dan1 ni1 / dan ni / danni | tan ni / tanni | |
Death Before Surrender | 寧死不屈 宁死不屈 | níng sǐ bù qū ning2 si3 bu4 qu1 ning si bu qu ningsibuqu | ning ssu pu ch`ü ningssupuchü ning ssu pu chü |
|
Death Before Surrender | 寧死不降 宁死不降 | nìng sǐ bù xiáng ning4 si3 bu4 xiang2 ning si bu xiang ningsibuxiang | ning ssu pu hsiang ningssupuhsiang |
|
Desire | 渴望 | kě wàng / ke3 wang4 / ke wang / kewang | k`o wang / kowang / ko wang | |
Destiny Fate | 命運 命运 | mìng yùn / ming4 yun4 / ming yun / mingyun | ming yün / mingyün | |
Divine Protection | 加護 加护 | ka go / kago | jiā hù / jia1 hu4 / jia hu / jiahu | chia hu / chiahu |
Drinking the water of a well: One should never forget who dug it | 吃水不忘掘井人 | chī shuǐ bú wàng jué jǐng rén chi1 shui3 bu2 wang4 jue2 jing3 ren2 chi shui bu wang jue jing ren chishuibuwangjuejingren | ch`ih shui pu wang chüeh ching jen chih shui pu wang chüeh ching jen |
|
Example is Better than Precept | 身教勝於言教 身教胜于言教 | shēn jiào shèng yú yán jiào shen1 jiao4 sheng4 yu2 yan2 jiao1 shen jiao sheng yu yan jiao shenjiaoshengyuyanjiao | shen chiao sheng yü yen chiao | |
Father and Son | 父與子 父与子 | fù yù zǐ fu4 yu4 zi3 fu yu zi fuyuzi | fu yü tzu fuyützu |
|
The one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one to retreats 100 | 五十步笑百步 | wù shí bù xiào bǎi bù wu4 shi2 bu4 xiao4 bai3 bu4 wu shi bu xiao bai bu wushibuxiaobaibu | wu shih pu hsiao pai pu wushihpuhsiaopaipu |
|
Filial Piety | 孝 | kou / ko | xiào / xiao4 / xiao | hsiao |
Flexibility | 靈活性 灵活性 | líng huó xìng ling2 huo2 xing4 ling huo xing linghuoxing | ling huo hsing linghuohsing |
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Friend Friendship | 朋 | tomo | péng / peng2 / peng | p`eng / peng |
Geisha | 芸者 | geisha | yún zhě / yun2 zhe3 / yun zhe / yunzhe | yün che / yünche |
God Is With You Always | 上帝總是與你同在 上帝总是与你同在 | shàn dì zǒng shì yǔ nǐ tóng zài shan4 di4 zong3 shi4 yu3 ni3 tong2 zai4 shan di zong shi yu ni tong zai shandizongshiyunitongzai | shan ti tsung shih yü ni t`ung tsai shan ti tsung shih yü ni tung tsai |
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Good Good Study, Day Day Up | 好好學習天天向上 好好学习天天向上 | hǎo hǎo xué xí tiān tiān xiàng shàng hao3 hao3 xue2 xi2 tian1 tian1 xiang4 shang4 hao hao xue xi tian tian xiang shang | hao hao hsüeh hsi t`ien t`ien hsiang shang hao hao hsüeh hsi tien tien hsiang shang |
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Grandmaster Grand Master | 大師範 | daishihan | ||
Double Happiness | 囍 喜喜 | xǐ / xi3 / xi | hsi | |
Humble Modesty Humility | 謙虚 | ken kyo / kenkyo | qiān xū / qian1 xu1 / qian xu / qianxu | ch`ien hsü / chienhsü / chien hsü |
Even The 100-Foot Bamboo Can Grow One More Foot | 百尺竿頭更進一步 百尺竿头更进一步 | bǎi chǐ gān tóu gèng jìng yī bù bai3 chi3 gan1 tou2 geng4 jing4 yi1 bu4 bai chi gan tou geng jing yi bu baichigantougengjingyibu | pai ch`ih kan t`ou keng ching i pu pai chih kan tou keng ching i pu |
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A Deliberate Inaction is Better than a Blind Action | 一動不如一靜 一动不如一静 | yí dòng bù rú yí jìng yi2 dong4 bu4 ru2 yi2 jing4 yi dong bu ru yi jing yidongburuyijing | i tung pu ju i ching itungpujuiching |
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Indomitable Unyielding | 不屈不撓 不屈不挠 | fu kutsu fu tou fukutsufutou fu kutsu fu to | bù qū bù náo bu4 qu1 bu4 nao2 bu qu bu nao buqubunao | pu ch`ü pu nao puchüpunao pu chü pu nao |
Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance | 表壯不如里壯 表壮不如里壮 | biǎo zhuàng bù rú lǐ zhuàng biao3 zhuang4 bu4 ru2 li3 zhuang4 biao zhuang bu ru li zhuang biaozhuangburulizhuang | piao chuang pu ju li chuang piaochuangpujulichuang |
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Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance | 内面の強さは外見の良さに勝る | naimen no tsuyosa ha gaiken no yosa ni masaru | ||
Inspiration | 靈感 灵感 | reikan | líng gǎn / ling2 gan3 / ling gan / linggan | ling kan / lingkan |
Progress Ambition | 上進 上进 | joushin / joshin | shàng jìn shang4 jin4 shang jin shangjin | shang chin shangchin |
Through the Ups and Downs of Life | 同甘共苦 | tóng gān gòng kǔ tong2 gan1 gong4 ku3 tong gan gong ku tonggangongku | t`ung kan kung k`u tungkankungku tung kan kung ku |
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Hardships and Joys | 辛酸甘苦 | shinsankanku | ||
Kai Zen Kaizen | 改善 | kai zen / kaizen | gǎi shàn / gai3 shan4 / gai shan / gaishan | kai shan / kaishan |
Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand | 空手拳法 | kara te ken pou karatekenpou kara te ken po | kōng shǒu quán fǎ kong1 shou3 quan2 fa3 kong shou quan fa kongshouquanfa | k`ung shou ch`üan fa kungshouchüanfa kung shou chüan fa |
Kensho Jobutsu - Enlightenment - Path to Buddha | 見性成佛 見性成仏 | ken shou jou butsu kenshoujoubutsu ken sho jo butsu | ||
Kindness Caring | 親切 亲切 | shin setsu / shinsetsu | qīn qiè / qin1 qie4 / qin qie / qinqie | ch`in ch`ieh / chinchieh / chin chieh |
Kishan | 吉尚 | jí shàng / ji2 shang4 / ji shang / jishang | chi shang / chishang | |
Contentment | 知足 | chisoku | zhī zú / zhi1 zu2 / zhi zu / zhizu | chih tsu / chihtsu |
We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity? | 人非生而知之者熟能無惑 | rén fēi shēng ér zhī zhī zhě shú néng wú huò ren2 fei1 sheng1 er2 zhi1 zhi1 zhe3 shu2 neng2 wu2 huo4 ren fei sheng er zhi zhi zhe shu neng wu huo | jen fei sheng erh chih chih che shu neng wu huo | |
Life Goes On | 生活在繼續 生活在继续 | shēng huó zài jì xù sheng1 huo2 zai4 ji4 xu4 sheng huo zai ji xu shenghuozaijixu | sheng huo tsai chi hsü shenghuotsaichihsü |
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Lion | 獅子 狮子 | shishi | shī zǐ / shi1 zi3 / shi zi / shizi | shih tzu / shihtzu |
Loyalty Devotion | 忠義 忠义 | chuu gi / chuugi / chu gi | zhōng yì / zhong1 yi4 / zhong yi / zhongyi | chung i / chungi |
Meditation | 冥想 | mei sou / meisou / mei so | míng xiǎng ming2 xiang3 ming xiang mingxiang | ming hsiang minghsiang |
Mercy Compassion Buddhist Loving Kindness | 慈悲 | ji hi / jihi | cí bēi / ci2 bei1 / ci bei / cibei | tz`u pei / tzupei / tzu pei |
Mama Mother Mommy | 媽 妈 | mā / ma1 / ma | ||
Morality of Deed | 行德 | xíng dé / xing2 de2 / xing de / xingde | hsing te / hsingte | |
Better Late Than Never | 亡羊補牢猶未為晚 亡羊补牢犹未为晚 | wáng yáng bǔ láo yóu wèi wéi wǎn wang2 yang2 bu3 lao2 you2 wei4 wei2 wan3 wang yang bu lao you wei wei wan | wang yang pu lao yu wei wei wan wangyangpulaoyuweiweiwan |
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No one knows a son better than the father | 知子莫若父 | zhī zǐ mò ruò fù zhi1 zi3 mo4 ruo4 fu4 zhi zi mo ruo fu zhizimoruofu | chih tzu mo jo fu chihtzumojofu |
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Optimistic | 豁達 豁达 | katsudatsu | huò dá / huo4 da2 / huo da / huoda | huo ta / huota |
Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body | 疼痛就是衰弱離你而去的時候 疼痛就是衰弱离你而去的时候 | téng tòng jiù shì shuāi ruò lí nǐ ér qù de shí hòu teng2 tong4 jiu4 shi4 shuai1 ruo4 li2 ni3 er2 qu4 de shi2 hou4 teng tong jiu shi shuai ruo li ni er qu de shi hou | t`eng t`ung chiu shih shuai jo li ni erh ch`ü te shih hou teng tung chiu shih shuai jo li ni erh chü te shih hou |
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Persistence | 固執 固执 | koshuu / koshu | gù zhí / gu4 zhi2 / gu zhi / guzhi | ku chih / kuchih |
Preparation Yields No Fear or Worries | 有備無患 有备无患 | yǒu bèi wú huàn you3 bei4 wu2 huan4 you bei wu huan youbeiwuhuan | yu pei wu huan yupeiwuhuan |
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Better to sacrifice your life than your principles | 捨生取義 舍生取义 | shě shēng qǔ yì she3 sheng1 qu3 yi4 she sheng qu yi sheshengquyi | she sheng ch`ü i sheshengchüi she sheng chü i |
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Progress Day by Day | 日漸 日渐 | rì jiàn / ri4 jian4 / ri jian / rijian | jih chien / jihchien | |
Prosperity | 繁栄 繁荣 | hanei | fán róng / fan2 rong2 / fan rong / fanrong | fan jung / fanjung |
Prosperity | 祿 禄 | fuchi | lù / lu4 / lu | |
Push or Knock | 反復推敲 反复推敲 | fǎn fù tuī qiāo fan3 fu4 tui1 qiao1 fan fu tui qiao fanfutuiqiao | fan fu t`ui ch`iao fanfutuichiao fan fu tui chiao |
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Ramona | 雷蒙娜 | léi méng nà lei2 meng2 na4 lei meng na leimengna | ||
Respect and Loyalty | 尊敬忠誠 尊敬忠诚 | son kei chu sei sonkeichusei | zūn jìng zhōng chéng zun1 jing4 zhong1 cheng2 zun jing zhong cheng zunjingzhongcheng | tsun ching chung ch`eng tsunchingchungcheng tsun ching chung cheng |
Seeing is Believing | 百聞不如一見 百闻不如一见 | bǎi wén bù rú yí jiàn bai3 wen2 bu4 ru2 yi2 jian4 bai wen bu ru yi jian baiwenburuyijian | pai wen pu ju i chien paiwenpujuichien |
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Seeing is Believing | 百聞は一見に如かず | hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu hyakubunwaikkennishikazu hyakubun wa iken ni shikazu | ||
Self-Respect Self-Esteem | 自尊 | jison | zì zūn / zi4 zun1 / zi zun / zizun | tzu tsun / tzutsun |
Selflessness | 無我 无我 | muga | wú wǒ / wu2 wo3 / wu wo / wuwo | |
Shinobi Ninja Outcast | 忍び | shino-bi | ||
Chinese or Korean Army General | 將軍 将军 | shougun / shogun | jiāng jūn jiang1 jun1 jiang jun jiangjun | chiang chün chiangchün |
Soldier Private | 士兵 | shì bīng / shi4 bing1 / shi bing / shibing | shih ping / shihping | |
Strength: Strong and Solid | 強固 强固 | kyouko / kyoko | qiáng gù / qiang2 gu4 / qiang gu / qianggu | ch`iang ku / chiangku / chiang ku |
Strong Powerful Force | 強 强 | kyou / kyo | qiáng / qiang2 / qiang | ch`iang / chiang |
Summer Season | 夏 | natsu | xià / xia4 / xia | hsia |
Sun Wukong Son Goku | 孫悟空 孙悟空 | son go kuu / songokuu / son go ku | sūn wù kōng sun1 wu4 kong1 sun wu kong sunwukong | sun wu k`ung sunwukung sun wu kung |
Survivor | 倖存者 幸存者 | xìng cún zhě xing4 cun2 zhe3 xing cun zhe xingcunzhe | hsing ts`un che hsingtsunche hsing tsun che |
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The More We Sweat in Training, The Less We Bleed in Battle | 平時多流汗戰時少流血 平时多流汗战时少流血 | píng shí duō liú hàn zhàn shí shǎo liú xuè ping2 shi2 duo1 liu2 han4 zhan4 shi2 shao3 liu2 xue4 ping shi duo liu han zhan shi shao liu xue | p`ing shih to liu shih shao liu hsüeh ping shih to liu shih shao liu hsüeh |
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Tang Soo Do Tenets | 廉耻精進忍耐遵守克己謙遜百折不屈 / 廉恥精進忍耐遵守克己謙遜百折不屈 廉耻精进忍耐遵守克己谦逊百折不屈 | lián chǐ jīng jìn rěn nài zūn shǒu kè jǐ qiān xùn bǎi zhé bù qū lian2 chi3 jing1 jin4 ren3 nai4 zun1 shou3 ke4 ji3 qian1 xun4 bai3 zhe2 bu4 qu1 lian chi jing jin ren nai zun shou ke ji qian xun bai zhe bu qu | lien ch`ih ching chin jen nai tsun shou k`o chi ch`ien hsün pai che pu ch`ü lien chih ching chin jen nai tsun shou ko chi chien hsün pai che pu chü |
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Tathata Ultimate Nature of All Things | 真如 | shinnyo | zhēn rú / zhen1 ru2 / zhen ru / zhenru | chen ju / chenju |
Tenacious Tenacity | 頑強 顽强 | gan kyou / gankyou / gan kyo | wán qiáng wan2 qiang2 wan qiang wanqiang | wan ch`iang wanchiang wan chiang |
Better to Travel 10,000 Miles than Read 10,000 Books | 行萬里路勝讀萬捲書 行万里路胜读万卷书 | xíng wàn lǐ lù shèng dú wàn juǎn shū xing2 wan4 li3 lu4 sheng4 du2 wan4 juan3 shu1 xing wan li lu sheng du wan juan shu | hsing wan li lu sheng tu wan chüan shu | |
Value of Warrior Generals | 兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 兵在精而不在多将在谋而不在勇 | bīng zài jīng ér bú zài duō jiàng zài móu ér bú zài yǒng bing1 zai4 jing1 er2 bu2 zai4 duo1 jiang4 zai4 mou2 er2 bu2 zai4 yong3 bing zai jing er bu zai duo jiang zai mou er bu zai yong | ping tsai ching erh pu tsai to chiang tsai mou erh pu tsai yung | |
Warriors: Quality Over Quantity | 兵在精而不在多 | bīng zài jīng ér bú zài duō bing1 zai4 jing1 er2 bu2 zai4 duo1 bing zai jing er bu zai duo bingzaijingerbuzaiduo | ping tsai ching erh pu tsai to pingtsaichingerhputsaito |
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A Traditional Warm Welcome | 歡迎光臨 欢迎光临 | huān yíng guāng lín huan1 ying2 guang1 lin2 huan ying guang lin huanyingguanglin | huan ying kuang lin huanyingkuanglin |
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Win Victory | 勝 胜 | shou / sho | shèng / sheng4 / sheng | |
You must endure a harsh winter to appreciate the warmth of springtime | 不經冬寒不知春暖 不经冬寒不知春暖 | bù jīng dōng hán bù zhī chūn nuǎn bu4 jing1 dong1 han2 bu4 zhi1 chun1 nuan3 bu jing dong han bu zhi chun nuan | pu ching tung han pu chih ch`un nuan pu ching tung han pu chih chun nuan |
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Aries Zodiac Symbol Sign | 白羊座 | bái yáng zuò bai2 yang2 zuo4 bai yang zuo baiyangzuo | pai yang tso paiyangtso |
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Capricorn Zodiac Symbol Sign | 摩羯座 | mó jié zuò mo2 jie2 zuo4 mo jie zuo mojiezuo | mo chieh tso mochiehtso |
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Betelgeuse | 參宿四 | sān sù sì san1 su4 si4 san su si sansusi | san su ssu sansussu |
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Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity | 布施 | fuse | bù shī / bu4 shi1 / bu shi / bushi | pu shih / pushih |
Beautiful Woman Proverb | 沈魚落雁 沈鱼落雁 | chin gyo raku gan chingyorakugan | chén yú luò yàn chen2 yu2 luo4 yan4 chen yu luo yan chenyuluoyan | ch`en yü lo yen chenyüloyen chen yü lo yen |
Mico | 米科 | mǐ kē / mi3 ke1 / mi ke / mike | mi k`o / miko / mi ko | |
Nekogami | 貓神 猫神 | neko gami / nekogami | māo shén / mao1 shen2 / mao shen / maoshen | |
Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once | 百聞不如一見 百闻不如一见 | bǎi wén bù rú yī jiàn bai3 wen2 bu4 ru2 yi1 jian4 bai wen bu ru yi jian baiwenburuyijian | pai wen pu ju i chien paiwenpujuichien |
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It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war | 花園里的戰士好過戰場上的園丁 花园里的战士好过战场上的园丁 | huā yuán lǐ de zhàn shì hǎo guò zhàn chǎng shàng de yuán dīng huā yuán lǐ de zhàn shì hǎo guò zhàn chǎng shàng de yuán dīng ài wēng huā yuán lǐ de zhàn shì hǎo guò zhàn chǎng shàng de yuán dīng hua1 yuan2 li3 de zhan4 shi4 hao3 guo4 zhan4 chang3 shang4 de yuan2 ding1 hua1 yuan2 li3 de zhan4 shi4 hao3 guo4 zhan4 chang3 shang4 de yuan2 ding1 ai4 weng1 hua1 yuan2 li3 de zhan4 shi4 hao3 guo4 zhan4 chang3 shang4 de yuan2 ding1 hua yuan li de zhan shi hao guo zhan chang shang de yuan ding hua yuan li de zhan shi hao guo zhan chang shang de yuan ding ai weng hua yuan li de zhan shi hao guo zhan chang shang de yuan ding | hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan ch`ang shang te yüan ting hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan ch`ang shang te yüan ting ai weng hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan ch`ang shang te yüan ting hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan chang shang te yüan ting hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan chang shang te yüan ting ai weng hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan chang shang te yüan ting |
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In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. |
Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...
All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.
When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my 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.
Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.
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.
Check out my lists of Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls and Old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.
Some people may refer to this entry as Be Better Kanji, Be Better Characters, Be Better in Mandarin Chinese, Be Better Characters, Be Better in Chinese Writing, Be Better in Japanese Writing, Be Better in Asian Writing, Be Better Ideograms, Chinese Be Better symbols, Be Better Hieroglyphics, Be Better Glyphs, Be Better in Chinese Letters, Be Better Hanzi, Be Better in Japanese Kanji, Be Better Pictograms, Be Better in the Chinese Written-Language, or Be Better in the Japanese Written-Language.
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