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Will-Power in Chinese / Japanese...

Buy a Will-Power calligraphy wall scroll here!

Personalize your custom “Will-Power” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Will-Power” title below...


  1. Will-Power / Self-Control

  2. Perseverance / Will-Power

  3. Determination to Achieve / Will-Power

  4. Self-Discipline / Will-Power

  5. Well-Disciplined / Orderly

  6. Determination

  7. Strong Hearted / Strong Willed

  8. Discipline

  9. Self-Control

10. Discipline / Training / Tempering Character

11. Strength / Vigor / Energy

12. Perseverance

13. Control of Power

14. Power of Understanding and Wisdom

15. The Guts Theory

16. Destiny Determined by Heaven

17. Inner Strength / Self-Improvement

18. Past experience is the teacher for the future

19. Daodejing / Tao Te Ching - Chapter 54

20. Daodejing / Tao Te Ching - Chapter 33

21. Dragon

22. Sword Saint

23. Cooperation

24. The Lord's Prayer / Mathew 6:9-13

25. Beauty / Beautiful / Handsome

26. Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks

27. Better Late Than Never


Will-Power / Self-Control

 yì zhì lì
 ishi ryoku
Will-Power / Self-Control Scroll

意志力 is a form of willpower or self-control and is about having the determination or tenacity to keep going.

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

Perseverance / Will-Power

 yì lì
Perseverance / Will-Power Scroll

毅力 is 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.”

Determination to Achieve / Will-Power

 yì zhì
 ishi
Determination to Achieve / Will-Power Scroll

意志 is a Chinese, Korean, and Japanese word that means “determination to achieve.” It can also be translated as: will; willpower; determination; volition; intention; or intent.

In Japanese, this can also be the given name, Ishi.

Self-Discipline / Will-Power

 zì lǜ
 jiritsu
Self-Discipline / Will-Power Scroll

自律 means self-discipline and 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 reacting. 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

Well-Disciplined / Orderly

Special Military Term

 yán zhěng
Well-Disciplined / Orderly Scroll

When reading an account of some battles in China, I came across the Chinese word, 嚴整. As it turns out, 嚴整 is 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 airtight or watertight.
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 | Will-Power

Determination

 jué xīn
 kesshin
Determination Scroll

決心 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean word that holds the dictionary definition of determination but literally means determined heart.

The first character means to determine or determined.

The second character means heart, mind, or soul, so you can imagine that this form of determination partially means putting 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 | Will-Power

Strong Hearted / Strong Willed

 yì zhì jiān qiáng
Strong Hearted / Strong Willed Scroll

意志堅強 can mean either “strong-hearted,” “strong-willed” or “determination.”

The first two characters can be translated as “will,” “willpower,” “determination,” “volition,” “intention,” or “intent.” But, it should be noted that this first part possesses the element of “heart” in the lower portion of both characters (they also partially carry the meaning “with the whole heart”).

The last two characters mean “strong” or “staunch.”

Chinese word order and grammar are 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 | Will-Power

 jì lǜ
Discipline Scroll

紀律 is a Chinese and Korean word that conveys the idea of extreme self-control and perhaps self-sacrifice, and obedience.

This word matches the kind of “discipline” 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 | Will-Power

 guī
 kiritsu
Discipline Scroll

規律 is a Japanese word for discipline that relays the ideas of keeping order, and observance (of rules, laws, regulations).

This is also a word in Chinese and old Korean Hanja where it suggests that you are one who follows a certain law of behavior or has a regular and dependable pattern of behavior, personal regime, or rhythm.


See Also:  Self-Control | Will-Power

 duàn liàn
 tan ren
Discipline Scroll

鍛練 is the Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja word 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.”


練
練'
錬

The modern form of the second Japanese Kanji looks like the first image to the right. There’s also an alternate modern form after that, and finally, an alternate traditional form. Because calligraphy is an art, the calligrapher could choose any of these possible forms. Let us know if you have a preference.


See Also:  Self-Control | Will-Power

Self-Control

 zì zhì
 jisei
Self-Control Scroll

The short and sweet version of self-control.

Note: This can also mean self-restraint.


See Also:  Will-Power | Discipline

Self-Control

 zì jǐ yì zhì
 jikoyokusei
Self-Control Scroll

自己抑制 has a meaning like “to restrain oneself” in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.

The first two characters mean “regarding oneself,” and the second two mean “to refrain” or “to restrain.”


See Also:  Discipline | Will-Power

Discipline / Training / Tempering Character

 mó liàn
Discipline / Training / Tempering Character Scroll

磨鍊 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.

Strength / Vigor / Energy

Physical Strength

 qì lì
 kiryoku
Strength / Vigor / Energy Scroll

氣力 can mean any of the words in the title above, and in some contexts, can also mean effort, will-power, or talent.

This refers mostly to physical strength (as opposed to mental or spiritual).


気In modern Japan, they use a simplified first character for this word. If you want to order this title with that special Japanese version, click on the character to the right instead of the button above.

Perseverance

 yì
 see note
 
Perseverance Scroll

毅 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 in 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 as “strong” (perhaps strong-willed).


See Also:  Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Undaunted

Control of Power

Him Cho Chung

 lì cào zhèng
Control of Power Scroll

力操正 is a Korean martial arts title meaning “Power Control.”

It's most often cited as one of the 8 key concepts from Tang Soo Do.

This can be pronounced in Chinese but will only be recognized by those familiar with martial arts terms.

Power of Understanding and Wisdom

 wù xìng
 gosei
Power of Understanding and Wisdom Scroll

悟性 means the power of understanding and insight in Chinese.

It is often associated with Neo-Confucianism. In that regard, it means to realize, perceive, or have the perception of man's true nature. It can also mean finding 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.

The Guts Theory

The belief that where there's a will, there's a way.

 kon jou ron
The Guts Theory Scroll

根性論 is a Japanese title that refers to the belief that where there's a will, there's a way.

Another way to translate this is “The Guts Theory” or “The Doctrine of Will-Power.” Maybe breaking down the meaning of the characters will help clarify this:
根性 = will-power; guts; temper; nature; spirit; nature and character; the nature of the powers of any sense.
論 = theory; doctrine; treatises on dogma, philosophy, discipline, etc.

Destiny Determined by Heaven

 tiān yì
 teni
Destiny Determined by Heaven Scroll

天意 is a way to express destiny in a slightly religious way.

天意 means “Heaven's Wish” or “Heaven's Desire,” with the idea of fate and destiny being derived as well. It suggests that your destiny comes from God / Heaven and that your path has already been chosen by a higher power.

My Japanese dictionary defines this word as “divine will” or “providence,” but it also holds the meaning of “the will of the emperor.” Therefore, I don't suggest this phrase if your audience is Japanese - it feels strange in Japanese anyway.

Inner Strength / Self-Improvement

 zì qiáng
Inner Strength / Self-Improvement Scroll

自強 is the kind of inner strength that applies to a person who has will-power and can inspire themselves to do great things.

自強 can also be the creed of a person that always pursues self-improvement.

Other translations: self-strengthening, striving for improvement, self-improvement, striving to become stronger, and self-renewal.

Past experience is the teacher for the future

Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.

 qián shì bú wàng hòu shí zhī shī
Past experience is the teacher for the future Scroll

The most literal translation to English of this ancient 前事不忘后事之师 Chinese proverb is:
“Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.”

However, it's been translated several ways:
Don't forget past events, they can guide you in the future.
Benefit from past experience.
Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
Past calamity is my teacher.
A good memory for the past is a teacher for the future.
The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future.
If one remembers the lessons of the past; They will serve as a guide to avoid mistakes in the future.

The origin:
This proverb comes from the 5th century B.C., just before the Warring States Period in the territory now known as China.
The head of the State of Jin, Zhi Bo, seized power in a coup. He did this with help from the armies of the State of Han and Wei. Instead of being grateful for the help from Han and Wei, he treacherously took the land of Han and Wei. Never satisfied, Zhi Bo employed the armies of Han and Wei to attack and seize the State of Zhao.

The king of Zhao took advice from his minister Zhang Mengtan and secretly contacted the Han and Wei armies to reverse their plans and attack the army of Zhi Bo instead. The plan was successful, and the State of Zhao was not only saved but was set to become a powerful kingdom in the region.

Zhang Mengtan immediately submitted his resignation to a confused king of Zhao. When asked why, Zhang Mengtan said, “I've done my duty to save my kingdom, but looking back at past experience, I know sovereign kings are never satisfied with the power or land at hand. They will join others and fight for more power and more land. I must learn from past experiences, as those experiences are the teachers of future events.”
The king could not dispute the logic in that statement and accepted Zhang Mengtan's resignation.

For generations, the State of Zhao continued to fight for power and land until finally defeated and decimated by the State of Qin (which led to the birth of the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.).

Daodejing / Tao Te Ching - Chapter 54

 shàn jiàn zhě bù bá shàn bào zhě bù tuō zǐ sūn yǐ jì sì bù jué xiū zhī shēn qí dé nǎi zhēn xiū zhī jiā qí dé yǒu yú xiū zhī xiāng qí dé nǎi zhǎng xiū zhī guó qí dé nǎi féng xiū zhī yú tiān xià qí dé nǎi bó yǐ shēn guān shēn yǐ jiā guān jiā yǐ xiāng guān xiāng yǐ bāng guān bāng yǐ tiān xià guān tiān xià wú hé yǐ zhī tiān xià rán zī yǐ cǐ
Daodejing / Tao Te Ching - Chapter 54 Scroll

This is the Mawangdui version of Daodejing chapter 54.

What Tao plants cannot be plucked; What Tao clasps cannot slip.
By its virtue alone can one generation after another carry on the ancestral sacrifice.
Apply it to yourself, and by its power, you will be freed from dross.
Apply it to your household, and your household shall thereby have abundance.
Apply it to the village, and the village will be made secure.
Apply it to the kingdom, and the kingdom shall thereby be made to flourish.
Apply it to an empire, and the empire shall thereby be extended.
Therefore just as through oneself, one may contemplate Oneself;
So through the household one may contemplate the Household;
And through the village, one may contemplate the Village;
And through the kingdom, one may contemplate the Kingdom;
And through the empire, one may contemplate the Empire.
How do I know that the empire is so? By this.
Another translation:
What is firmly rooted cannot be pulled out;
What is tightly held in the arms will not slip loose;
Through this, the offering of sacrifice by descendants will never come to an end.

Cultivate it in your person, and its virtue will be genuine;
Cultivate it in the family, and its virtue will be more than sufficient;
Cultivate it in the hamlet, and its virtue will endure;
Cultivate it in the state, and its virtue will abound;
Cultivate it in the empire, and its virtue will be pervasive.

Hence look at the person through the person;
Look at the family through the family;
Look at the hamlet through the hamlet;
Look at the state through the state;
Look at the empire through the empire.

How do I know that the empire is like that?
By means of this.

Daodejing / Tao Te Ching - Chapter 33

 zhī rén zhě zhī yě zì zhī zhě míng yě shèng rén zhě yǒu lì yě zì shèng zhě qiáng yě zhī zú zhě fù yě qiáng xíng zhě yǒu zhì yě bù zhī qí suǒ zhě jiǔ yě sǐ ér bù wáng zhě shòu yě
Daodejing / Tao Te Ching - Chapter 33 Scroll

This is referred to as passage or chapter 33 of the Dao De Jing (often Romanized as “Tao Te Ching”).

These are the words of the philosopher Laozi (Lao Tzu).

The following is one translation of this passage:
To know others is wisdom;
To know oneself is acuity/intelligence.
To conquer others is power,
To conquer oneself is strength.
To know contentment is to have wealth.
To act resolutely is to have purpose.
To stay one's ground is to be enduring.
To die and yet not be forgotten is to be long-lived.
Another translation:
To understand others is to be knowledgeable;
To understand yourself is to be wise.
To conquer others is to have strength;
To conquer yourself is to be strong.
To know when you have enough is to be rich.
To go forward with strength is to have ambition.
To not lose your place is to be long-lasting.
To die but not be forgotten -- that's true long life.
A third translation of the second half:
He who is content is rich;
He who acts with persistence has will;
He who does not lose his roots will endure;
He who dies physically but preserves the Dao
will enjoy a long after-life.


Notes:

During our research, the Chinese characters shown here are probably the most accurate to the original text of Laozi. These were taken for the most part from the Mawangdui 1973 and Guodan 1993 manuscripts which pre-date other Daodejing texts by about 1000 years.

Grammar was a little different in Laozi’s time. So you should consider this to be the ancient Chinese version. Some have modernized this passage by adding, removing, or swapping articles and changing the grammar (we felt the oldest and most original version would be more desirable). You may find other versions printed in books or online - sometimes these modern texts are simply used to explain to Chinese people what the original text really means.

This language issue can be compared in English by thinking how the King James (known as the Authorized version in Great Britain) Bible from 1611 was written, and comparing it to modern English. Now imagine that the Daodejing was probably written around 403 BCE (2000 years before the King James Version of the Bible). To a Chinese person, the original Daodejing reads like text that is 3 times more detached compared to Shakespeare’s English is to our modern-day speech.

Extended notes:

While on this Biblical text comparison, it should be noted, that just like the Bible, all the original texts of the Daodejing were lost or destroyed long ago. Just as with the scripture used to create the Bible, various manuscripts exist, many with variations or copyist errors. Just as the earliest New Testament scripture (incomplete) is from 170 years after Christ, the earliest Daodejing manuscript (incomplete) is from 100-200 years after the death of Laozi.

The reason that the originals were lost probably has a lot to do with the first Qin Emperor. Upon taking power and unifying China, he ordered the burning and destruction of all books (scrolls/rolls) except those pertaining to Chinese medicine and a few other subjects. The surviving Daodejing manuscripts were either hidden on purpose or simply forgotten about. Some were not unearthed until as late as 1993.

We compared a lot of research by various archeologists and historians before deciding on this as the most accurate and correct version. But one must allow that it may not be perfect, or the actual and original as from the hand of Laozi himself.

Dragon

Year of the Dragon / Zodiac Sign

 lóng
 ryuu / tatsu
Dragon Scroll

龍 is the character for dragon in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.

The dragon is a creature of myth and legend that dominates Chinese, Japanese, and even European folklore. In China, the dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, strength, and power, and the Chinese dragon is known as the god of water.

From the Chinese Zodiac, if you were born in the year of the Dragon, you . . .

Have a strong body and spirit.
Are full of energy.
Have vast goals.
Have a deep level of self-awareness.
Will do whatever you can to “save face.”


See also our Chinese Zodiac or Dragon Calligraphy pages.

 jiàn shèng
 kensei
Sword Saint Scroll

剣聖 can be translated as “Sword Saint,” “God of the Sword,” or “Saint of the Sword.” This is an ancient Japanese title bestowed on a master with the greatest of skills in swordsmanship.

Keep in mind that this is an antiquated term. It will only be understood in the context of martial arts. The pronunciation “kensei” also applies to other words like “constitutional government” and power (these words have different kanji and are completely unrelated).

Notes: This is sometimes Romanized as “kensei,” “ken sei,” and incorrectly as “Kensai.”

Chinese Note: This title is pronounceable in Chinese but seldom, if ever, used in Chinese. Also, the first character is an alternate character form for a sword, currently only used in Japan.

 xié lì
 kyouryoku
Cooperation Scroll

協力 is a Japanese word that means cooperation.

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

The Lord's Prayer / Mathew 6:9-13

 wǒ men zài tiān shàng de fù yuàn rén dōu zūn nǐ de míng wèi shèng yuàn nǐ de guó jiàng lín yuàn nǐ de zhǐ yì xíng zài dì shàng rú tóng xíng zài tiān shàng wǒ men rì yòng de yǐn shí jīn rì cì gěi wǒ men miǎn wǒ men de zhài rú tóng wǒ men miǎn le rén de zhài bù jiào wǒ men yù jiàn shì tàn jiù wǒ men tuō lí xiōng è yīn wèi guó dù quán bǐng róng yào quán shì nǐ de zhí dào yǒng yuǎn ā men
The Lord's Prayer / Mathew 6:9-13 Scroll

Here is the Lord's Prayer in Chinese from Mathew 6:9-13.

The Chinese text with punctuation is:
Part of 6:9 ...我们在天上的父,愿人都尊你的名为圣。
6:10 愿你的国降临,愿你的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上。
6:11 我们日用的饮食,今日赐给我们。
6:12 免我们的债,如同我们免了人的债。
6:13 不叫我们遇见试探,救我们脱离凶恶,因为国度,权柄,荣耀,全是你的,直到永远,阿们。
Note that punctuation is not included in traditional Chinese calligraphy artwork.

From KJV, this is:
Part of 6:9 ...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Beauty / Beautiful / Handsome

 měi
 bi
 
Beauty / Beautiful / Handsome Scroll

美 is often used to describe the beauty of a woman.

However, when applied to a man, it can mean handsome. It's also the first character in the word for “beauty salon” which you will see all over China and Japan.

This can be used as the given name for a girl (spell it or say it as “Mei” or “May”).

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 a distaste for American politics and policy). But I digress...

美 is also how “Beautiful” is written in Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja. 美 can also mean: very satisfactory; good; to be pleased with oneself; abbreviation for the USA; fine; handsome; admirable; madhura; sweet; and/or pleasant.


See Also:  Beautiful Woman | Beautiful Girl

Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks

Persistence to overcome all challenges

 bǎi zhé bù náo
 hyaku setsu su tou
Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks Scroll

百折不撓 is a Chinese proverb that means “Be undaunted in the face of repeated setbacks.”

More directly translated, it reads, “[Overcome] a hundred setbacks, without flinching.” 百折不撓 is of Chinese origin but is commonly used in Japanese and somewhat in Korean (same characters, different pronunciation).

This proverb comes from a long, and occasionally tragic story of a man that lived sometime around 25-220 AD. His name was Qiao Xuan, and he never stooped to flattery but remained an upright person at all times. He fought to expose the corruption of higher-level government officials at great risk to himself.

Then when he was at a higher level in the Imperial Court, bandits were regularly capturing hostages and demanding ransoms. But when his own son was captured, he was so focused on his duty to the Emperor and the common good that he sent a platoon of soldiers to raid the bandits' hideout, and stop them once and for all even at the risk of his own son's life. While all of the bandits were arrested in the raid, they killed Qiao Xuan's son at first sight of the raiding soldiers.

Near the end of his career, a new Emperor came to power, and Qiao Xuan reported to him that one of his ministers was bullying the people and extorting money from them. The new Emperor refused to listen to Qiao Xuan and even promoted the corrupt Minister. Qiao Xuan was so disgusted that in protest, he resigned from his post as minister (something almost never done) and left for his home village.

His tombstone reads “Bai Zhe Bu Nao” which is now a proverb used in Chinese culture to describe a person of strong will who puts up stubborn resistance against great odds.

My Chinese-English dictionary defines these 4 characters as “keep on fighting despite all setbacks,” “be undaunted by repeated setbacks,” and “be indomitable.”

Our translator says it can mean “never give up” in modern Chinese.

Although the first two characters are translated correctly as “repeated setbacks,” the literal meaning is “100 setbacks” or “a rope that breaks 100 times.” The last two characters can mean “do not yield” or “do not give up.”
Most Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people will not take this absolutely literal meaning but will instead understand it as the title suggests above. If you want a single big word definition, it would be indefatigability, indomitableness, persistence, or unyielding.


See Also:  Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Perseverance | Persistence

Better Late Than Never

It's Never Too Late Too Mend

 wáng yáng bǔ láo yóu wèi wéi wǎn
Better Late Than Never Scroll

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.




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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Will-Power
Self-Control
意志力ishi ryoku / ishiryokuyì zhì lì
yi4 zhi4 li4
yi zhi li
yizhili
i chih li
ichihli
Perseverance
Will-Power
毅力yì lì / yi4 li4 / yi li / yilii li / ili
Determination to Achieve
Will-Power
意志ishiyì zhì / yi4 zhi4 / yi zhi / yizhii chih / ichih
Self-Discipline
Will-Power
自律jiritsuzì lǜ / zi4 lv4 / zi lv / zilvtzu lü / tzulü
Well-Disciplined
Orderly
嚴整
严整
yán zhěng
yan2 zheng3
yan zheng
yanzheng
yen cheng
yencheng
Determination決心
决心
kesshin / keshinjué xīn / jue2 xin1 / jue xin / juexinchüeh hsin / chüehhsin
Strong Hearted
Strong Willed
意志堅強
意志坚强
yì zhì jiān qiáng
yi4 zhi4 jian1 qiang2
yi zhi jian qiang
yizhijianqiang
i chih chien ch`iang
ichihchienchiang
i chih chien chiang
Discipline紀律
纪律
jì lǜ / ji4 lv4 / ji lv / jilvchi lü / chilü
Discipline規律
规律
kiritsuguī / gui1 lu:4 / gui lu: / guilu:kuei lü / kueilü
Discipline鍛練 / 鍛錬
锻练
tan ren / tanrenduàn liàn
duan4 lian4
duan lian
duanlian
tuan lien
tuanlien
Self-Control自制jiseizì zhì / zi4 zhi4 / zi zhi / zizhitzu chih / tzuchih
Self-Control自己抑制jikoyokuseizì jǐ yì zhì
zi4 ji3 yi4 zhi4
zi ji yi zhi
zijiyizhi
tzu chi i chih
tzuchiichih
Discipline
Training
Tempering Character
磨練 / 磨鍊 / 磨鍊
磨练
mó liàn / mo2 lian4 / mo lian / molianmo lien / molien
Strength
Vigor
Energy
氣力
气力 / 気力
kiryokuqì lì / qi4 li4 / qi li / qilich`i li / chili / chi li
Perseverancesee note / seenote / se noteyì / yi4 / yii
Control of Power力操正lì cào zhèng
li4 cao4 zheng4
li cao zheng
licaozheng
li ts`ao cheng
litsaocheng
li tsao cheng
Power of Understanding and Wisdom悟性goseiwù xìng / wu4 xing4 / wu xing / wuxingwu hsing / wuhsing
The Guts Theory根性論kon jou ron
konjouron
kon jo ron
Destiny Determined by Heaven天意tenitiān yì / tian1 yi4 / tian yi / tianyit`ien i / tieni / tien i
Inner Strength
Self-Improvement
自強
自强
zì qiáng / zi4 qiang2 / zi qiang / ziqiangtzu ch`iang / tzuchiang / tzu chiang
Past experience is the teacher for the future前事不忘后事之師
前事不忘后事之师
qián shì bú wàng hòu shí zhī shī
qian2 shi4 bu2 wang4 hou4 shi2 zhi1 shi1
qian shi bu wang hou shi zhi shi
ch`ien shih pu wang hou shih chih shih
chien shih pu wang hou shih chih shih
Daodejing
Tao Te Ching - Chapter 54
善建者不拔善抱者不脫子孫以祭祀不絕修之身其德乃真修之家其德有余修之鄉其德乃長修之國其德乃夆修之於天下其德乃博以身觀身以家觀家以鄉觀鄉以邦觀邦以天下觀天下吾何以知天下然茲以此
善建者不拔善抱者不脱子孙以祭祀不绝修之身其德乃真修之家其德有余修之乡其德乃长修之国其德乃夆修之于天下其德乃博以身观身以家观家以乡观乡以邦观邦以天下观天下吾何以知天下然兹以此
shàn jiàn zhě bù bá shàn bào zhě bù tuō zǐ sūn yǐ jì sì bù jué xiū zhī shēn qí dé nǎi zhēn xiū zhī jiā qí dé yǒu yú xiū zhī xiāng qí dé nǎi zhǎng xiū zhī guó qí dé nǎi féng xiū zhī yú tiān xià qí dé nǎi bó yǐ shēn guān shēn yǐ jiā guān jiā yǐ xiāng guān xiāng yǐ bāng guān bāng yǐ tiān xià guān tiān xià wú hé yǐ zhī tiān xià rán zī yǐ cǐ
shan4 jian4 zhe3 bu4 ba2 shan4 bao4 zhe3 bu4 tuo1 zi3 sun1 yi3 ji4 si4 bu4 jue2 xiu1 zhi1 shen1 qi2 de2 nai3 zhen1 xiu1 zhi1 jia1 qi2 de2 you3 yu2 xiu1 zhi1 xiang1 qi2 de2 nai3 zhang3 xiu1 zhi1 guo2 qi2 de2 nai3 feng2 xiu1 zhi1 yu2 tian1 xia4 qi2 de2 nai3 bo2 yi3 shen1 guan1 shen1 yi3 jia1 guan1 jia1 yi3 xiang1 guan1 xiang1 yi3 bang1 guan1 bang1 yi3 tian1 xia4 guan1 tian1 xia4 wu2 he2 yi3 zhi1 tian1 xia4 ran2 zi1 yi3 ci3
shan jian zhe bu ba shan bao zhe bu tuo zi sun yi ji si bu jue xiu zhi shen qi de nai zhen xiu zhi jia qi de you yu xiu zhi xiang qi de nai zhang xiu zhi guo qi de nai feng xiu zhi yu tian xia qi de nai bo yi shen guan shen yi jia guan jia yi xiang guan xiang yi bang guan bang yi tian xia guan tian xia wu he yi zhi tian xia ran zi yi ci
shan chien che pu pa shan pao che pu t`o tzu sun i chi ssu pu chüeh hsiu chih shen ch`i te nai chen hsiu chih chia ch`i te yu yü hsiu chih hsiang ch`i te nai chang hsiu chih kuo ch`i te nai feng hsiu chih yü t`ien hsia ch`i te nai po i shen kuan shen i chia kuan chia i hsiang kuan hsiang i pang kuan pang i t`ien hsia kuan t`ien hsia wu ho i chih t`ien hsia jan tzu i tz`u
shan chien che pu pa shan pao che pu to tzu sun i chi ssu pu chüeh hsiu chih shen chi te nai chen hsiu chih chia chi te yu yü hsiu chih hsiang chi te nai chang hsiu chih kuo chi te nai feng hsiu chih yü tien hsia chi te nai po i shen kuan shen i chia kuan chia i hsiang kuan hsiang i pang kuan pang i tien hsia kuan tien hsia wu ho i chih tien hsia jan tzu i tzu
Daodejing
Tao Te Ching - Chapter 33
知人者知也自知者明也勝人者有力也自勝者強也知足者富也強行者有志也不失其所者久也死而不亡者壽也
知人者知也自知者明也胜人者有力也自胜者强也知足者富也强行者有志也不失其所者久也死而不亡者寿也
zhī rén zhě zhī yě zì zhī zhě míng yě shèng rén zhě yǒu lì yě zì shèng zhě qiáng yě zhī zú zhě fù yě qiáng xíng zhě yǒu zhì yě bù zhī qí suǒ zhě jiǔ yě sǐ ér bù wáng zhě shòu yě
zhi1 ren2 zhe3 zhi1 ye3 zi4 zhi1 zhe3 ming2 ye3 sheng4 ren2 zhe3 you3 li4 ye3 zi4 sheng4 zhe3 qiang2 ye3 zhi1 zu2 zhe3 fu4 ye3 qiang2 xing2 zhe3 you3 zhi4 ye3 bu4 zhi1 qi2 suo3 zhe3 jiu3 ye3 si3 er2 bu4 wang2 zhe3 shou4 ye3
zhi ren zhe zhi ye zi zhi zhe ming ye sheng ren zhe you li ye zi sheng zhe qiang ye zhi zu zhe fu ye qiang xing zhe you zhi ye bu zhi qi suo zhe jiu ye si er bu wang zhe shou ye
chih jen che chih yeh tzu chih che ming yeh sheng jen che yu li yeh tzu sheng che ch`iang yeh chih tsu che fu yeh ch`iang hsing che yu chih yeh pu chih ch`i so che chiu yeh ssu erh pu wang che shou yeh
chih jen che chih yeh tzu chih che ming yeh sheng jen che yu li yeh tzu sheng che chiang yeh chih tsu che fu yeh chiang hsing che yu chih yeh pu chih chi so che chiu yeh ssu erh pu wang che shou yeh
Dragon
ryuu / tatsu
ryu / tatsu
lóng / long2 / longlung
Sword Saint剣聖 / 剣聖
剣圣
kenseijiàn shèng
jian4 sheng4
jian sheng
jiansheng
chien sheng
chiensheng
Cooperation協力
协力
kyouryoku / kyoryokuxié lì / xie2 li4 / xie li / xielihsieh li / hsiehli
The Lord's Prayer
Mathew 6:9-13
我們在天上的父願人都尊你的名為聖願你的國降臨願你的旨意行在地上如同行在天上我們日用的飲食今日賜給我們免我們的債如同我們免了人的債不叫我們遇見試探救我們脫離凶惡因為國度權柄榮耀全是你的直到永遠阿們
我们在天上的父愿人都尊你的名为圣愿你的国降临愿你的旨意行在地上如同行在天上我们日用的饮食今日赐给我们免我们的债如同我们免了人的债不叫我们遇见试探救我们脱离凶恶因为国度权柄荣耀全是你的直到永远阿们
wǒ men zài tiān shàng de fù yuàn rén dōu zūn nǐ de míng wèi shèng yuàn nǐ de guó jiàng lín yuàn nǐ de zhǐ yì xíng zài dì shàng rú tóng xíng zài tiān shàng wǒ men rì yòng de yǐn shí jīn rì cì gěi wǒ men miǎn wǒ men de zhài rú tóng wǒ men miǎn le rén de zhài bù jiào wǒ men yù jiàn shì tàn jiù wǒ men tuō lí xiōng è yīn wèi guó dù quán bǐng róng yào quán shì nǐ de zhí dào yǒng yuǎn ā men
wo3 men zai4 tian1 shang4 de fu4 yuan4 ren2 dou1 zun1 ni3 de ming2 wei4 sheng4 yuan4 ni3 de guo2 jiang4 lin2 yuan4 ni3 de zhi3 yi4 xing2 zai4 di4 shang4 ru2 tong2 xing2 zai4 tian1 shang4 wo3 men ri4 yong4 de yin3 shi2 jin1 ri4 ci4 gei3 wo3 men mian3 wo3 men de zhai4 ru2 tong2 wo3 men mian3 le ren2 de zhai4 bu4 jiao4 wo3 men yu4 jian4 shi4 tan4 jiu4 wo3 men tuo1 li2 xiong1 e4 yin1 wei4 guo2 du4 quan2 bing3 rong2 yao4 quan2 shi4 ni3 de zhi2 dao4 yong3 yuan3 a1 men
wo men zai tian shang de fu yuan ren dou zun ni de ming wei sheng yuan ni de guo jiang lin yuan ni de zhi yi xing zai di shang ru tong xing zai tian shang wo men ri yong de yin shi jin ri ci gei wo men mian wo men de zhai ru tong wo men mian le ren de zhai bu jiao wo men yu jian shi tan jiu wo men tuo li xiong e yin wei guo du quan bing rong yao quan shi ni de zhi dao yong yuan a men
wo men tsai t`ien shang te fu yüan jen tou tsun ni te ming wei sheng yüan ni te kuo chiang lin yüan ni te chih i hsing tsai ti shang ju t`ung hsing tsai t`ien shang wo men jih yung te yin shih chin jih tz`u kei wo men mien wo men te chai ju t`ung wo men mien le jen te chai pu chiao wo men yü chien shih t`an chiu wo men t`o li hsiung o yin wei kuo tu ch`üan ping jung yao ch`üan shih ni te chih tao yung yüan a men
wo men tsai tien shang te fu yüan jen tou tsun ni te ming wei sheng yüan ni te kuo chiang lin yüan ni te chih i hsing tsai ti shang ju tung hsing tsai tien shang wo men jih yung te yin shih chin jih tzu kei wo men mien wo men te chai ju tung wo men mien le jen te chai pu chiao wo men yü chien shih tan chiu wo men to li hsiung o yin wei kuo tu chüan ping jung yao chüan shih ni te chih tao yung yüan a men
Beauty
Beautiful
Handsome
biměi / mei3 / mei
Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks百折不撓
百折不挠
hyaku setsu su tou
hyakusetsusutou
hyaku setsu su to
bǎi zhé bù náo
bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2
bai zhe bu nao
baizhebunao
pai che pu nao
paichepunao
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
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.


Dictionary

Lookup Will-Power in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary


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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.


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

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.

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

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.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

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.

A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

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 Will-Power Kanji, Will-Power Characters, Will-Power in Mandarin Chinese, Will-Power Characters, Will-Power in Chinese Writing, Will-Power in Japanese Writing, Will-Power in Asian Writing, Will-Power Ideograms, Chinese Will-Power symbols, Will-Power Hieroglyphics, Will-Power Glyphs, Will-Power in Chinese Letters, Will-Power Hanzi, Will-Power in Japanese Kanji, Will-Power Pictograms, Will-Power in the Chinese Written-Language, or Will-Power in the Japanese Written-Language.

45 people have searched for Will-Power in Chinese or Japanese in the past year.
Will-Power was last searched for by someone else on Nov 28th, 2024