Buy a Custom Wealth Chinese or Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

金錢 / 金銭 means money, cash, currency or wealth in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Literally, it means "gold coins" but has come to be used to mean money in general, as well as the idea of wealth.

The second character of this word is written in a variant form in Japan. The more common version in Japan is shown to the right. Click on the Kanji to the right instead of the button above if you want this Japanese variant in your calligraphy.

The title says it all; this word is clearly understood in Chinese and Japanese as well as Korean Hanja.

財富 means wealth or riches in Chinese.

Hanging this on your wall will label you as a "lover of money" or a "greedy person". Order this, only if you don't mind being seen in this light.

紅五蝠 is a play on words in Chinese because of some homophones.

The first thing you need to know is that the word for bat, 蝠, sounds exactly like the word for good fortune, 福. Thus, bats are often associated with good luck and good fortune in Chinese culture.

Five bats (五福 / 五蝠) means "five fortunes" referring to luck, prosperity, wealth, happiness, and longevity.

The word red, 红, has the same sound as 宏 meaning vast, great, or magnificent. Therefore, a red bat means "vast fortune".

Altogether, five red bats represent vast reaches of the five fortunes.

年年有餘 is a common proverb or wish of prosperity you'll hear around the time of Chinese New Years.

Directly translated character by character it means, "Year Year Have Surplus". A more natural English translation including the deeper meaning would be "Every Year may you Have Abundance in your life".

On a side note, this phrase often goes with a gift of something related to fish. 年年有餘 is because the last character "yu" which means surplus or abundance has exactly the same pronunciation in Mandarin as the word for "fish".

年年有餘 is also one of the most common titles for traditional paintings that feature koi fish.

In China, this phrase might make an odd wall scroll - a customer asked especially for this common phrase which is why it appears here. See my other abundance-related words if you want a wall scroll that will seem more comfortable in Chinese culture.

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

See Also:  Prosperity | Good Fortune

富裕 means prosperous, having abundance, well-to-do, or well-off.

It's a simple word that suggests that "you have made it" in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.

See Also:  Good Fortune

繁榮富裕 is a proverb about "Prosperity and Abundance".

繁榮富裕 present and reinforce the ideas of being prosperous, a booming economy, well-to-do, well-off, wealth, riches, and opulence.

繁榮富裕 is the ancient/traditional Chinese way to write this but most Japanese can fully read and understand it. It's also the correct form of old Korean Hanja (though few Koreans of the current generation will be able to read this).

See Also:  Good Fortune

寶寶 is how Chinese people express "baby".

The word is composed of the same character twice, and therefore literally means "double precious" or "double treasure".

This would be a nice wall scroll to put either inside or by the door of your baby's room (not on the door, as wall scrolls swing around wildly when hung on doors that open and close a lot).

These two characters create a word that means, "harmonious" or, "in perfect harmony".

The deeper meaning or more natural translation would be something like, "beautiful life".

The first character means peace and harmony.

The second character means beautiful. But in this case, when combined with the first character, beautiful refers to being satisfied with what you have in your life. This can be having good relations, good feelings, comfort, and having enough (with no feeling of wanting).

Note: In Japanese, this is often used as the name "Wami." This title is probably more appropriate if your audience is Chinese.

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 amount to 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, and seek to improve yourself from within, and not measure your personal worth by the size of your bank account.

See Also:  A Sly Rabbit Will Have Three Openings to Its Den

This literally means, "five good-fortunes arrive [at the] door".

It is understood to mean, "may the five blessings descend upon this home".

These blessings are known in ancient China to be: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and natural death (living to old age). 五福臨門 is one of several auspicious sayings you might hear during Chinese New Years.

珍愛 means to cherish, to treasure, or to love dearly in Chinese.

秘蔵 means to cherish, to treasure, or to prize in Japanese.

This is the Japanese martial arts title, Daitō-ryū Aiki-Jūjutsu.

If you want this title, you probably already know enough about the meaning.
If not, here's the Wikipedia entry: Daitō-ryū Aiki-Jūjutsu.

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).

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.

一曰慈二曰儉三曰不敢為天下先 is an except from the 67th Chapter of Lao Tzu's (Lao Zi's) Te-Tao Ching (Dao De Jing).

This is the part where the three treasures are discussed. In English, we'd say these three treasures are compassion, frugality, and humility. Some may translate these as love, moderation, and lack of arrogance. I have also seen them translated as benevolence, modesty, and "Not presuming to be at the forefront in the world". You can mix them up the way you want, as translation is not really a science but rather an art.

I should also explain that the first two treasures are single-character ideas, yet the third treasure was written out in six characters (there are also some auxiliary characters to number the treasures).

If Lao Tzu's words are important to you, then a wall scroll with this passage might make a great addition to your home.

This Buddhist title means "dark sister", "dark one", or "dark woman".

There are two sisters:
One is the deva, 功德女 ("merit" or "achieving"), who causes people to acquire wealth.
The other is the "dark one", 黑闇女, who causes people to spend and waste.

These sisters always accompany each other.

Start customizing a "Double Happiness Guest Book Wall Scroll" Here!

The paper panel length can be whatever you choose from 68cm to 135cm (27" to 53").

If you don't mention what paper length you want in the special instructions tab (on the next page), we'll make it about 100cm (40").

The medium size scroll with a 33cm x 100cm (13" x 40") paper panel can usually handle up to 89 signatures. That breaks down to 37 signatures per empty square and 15 signatures around the 囍 character. If you switch to a 135cm paper panel, add another 37 potential signatures.

We can splice two 135cm papers together, but that would be a crazy-long scroll. These are only estimates, your mileage may vary.

With silk panels this will yield a wall scroll about 155cm (61") long. That's enough for up to 89 signatures. Of course, that depends on if your guests just sign a brief salutation and name, or more verbose good wishes. Customer feedback is that 126 people can sign the 135cm long paper on a medium-sized scroll. If we go bigger than that, there will be a minor paper seam and an extra charge. Email me with your specifications if you need something special.

Most customers pick the festive red paper with gold flecks and white or ivory silk. Red is a good luck color in Chinese culture, thus the most popular choice. But, you can do any color combination that you want.

There is a long history of Chinese-character-use outside of mainland China. This Double Happiness character is also seen at weddings in Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as Chinese communities in Thailand, Indonesia, and elsewhere. While Japan borrowed Chinese characters into their language, you won't see 囍 as often at Japanese weddings.

This literally translates as:
Other people's flatulence stinks, [but] one's own is fragrant.

Figuratively, this means:
Some people criticize as defects in others what they (seem to) treasure in themselves.

鵬程萬里 is an ancient Chinese proverb used in modern times to wish someone a long and successful career.

It's really about the 10,000 Flight of the Peng (Peng, also known as Roc is a mythical fish that can turn into a bird and take flight).

庄子 - Zhuangzi

Breaking down each character:
1. Peng or Roc (a kind of bird).
2. Journey (in this case, a flight).
3. 10,000 (Ten Thousand).
4. Li is a unit of distance often referred to as a "Chinese Mile", though the real distance is about half a kilometer.

Direct Translation: "Peng's Journey [of] 10,000 Li".
Literal meaning: "The 10,000-Li Flying Range Of The Roc".
Perceived meaning: "To have a bright future" or "To go far".

This proverb/idiom comes from the book of Zhuangzi. It tells the tale of a huge fish which could turn into a gigantic bird. This bird was called "peng" and was many miles long. This legendary size allowed the Peng to fly from the Northern Sea to the Southern Sea in a single bound.

Wishing someone "a Peng's Journey of 10,000 Li", will imply that they will be able to travel far without stopping, and will have great success, a long career, and a prosperous future.

This Japanese proverb can be translated as, "flourish and wither, prosper and perish", "life is full of fortune and misfortune", or simply "vicissitudes of life".

This is about the rise and fall of human affairs or the ups and downs of life. Prosperity comes and goes, everything is fleeting and temporary but like waves, another swell of prosperity may come.

Here's how the Kanji break down in this proverb:

栄 = prosper; thrive; flourish; boom.
枯 = wither; die.
盛 = prosperous; flourishing; thriving; successful; energetic; vigorous; enthusiastic.
衰 = become weaker; decline; get weak; die down; subside; abate; fail.

Notes: The original version of the first character looks like the image to the right. In modern Japan, they simplified that Kanji a bit into the version shown above. If you have a preference for which style is used for your calligraphy, please let me know when you place your order.

Apparently, with that original version of the first character, this is also used in Korean Hanja. However, I have not confirmed that it’s used in the same way or is widely-known in Korean.

福 is pronounced "fu" in Chinese.

The character "fu" is posted by virtually all Chinese people on the doors of their homes during the Spring Festival (closely associated with the Chinese New Years).

One tradition from the Zhou Dynasty (beginning in 256 B.C.) holds that putting a fu symbol on your front door will keep the goddess of poverty away.

福 literally means good fortune, prosperity, blessed, happiness, and fulfillment.

See Also:  Lucky

The dictionary definition is:
relations / relationship / to concern / to affect / to have to do with / connection.

But there's more to it...

In China, your relationship that you have with certain people can open doors for you. Having guanxi with someone also means they would never defraud you but instead are honor-bound to treat you fairly (of course, this goes both ways). Sometimes it is suggested that guanxi is the exchange of favors. I would say this is more having a relationship that allows you to ask for, and expect favors without shame.

There is no concept in western culture that exactly matches guanxi but perhaps having a social or professional network is similar.

Note that there are some variations common within Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja for this word...

Japanese tend to use a Chinese alternate form as shown to the right for
the first character.

There's also another alternate form of that first character (currently used as the official Simplified form in mainland China) which looks like the character shown to the right. It's basically the central radical of the alternate version shown above but without the "door radical" around it. In more free-flowing calligraphy styles, this version would be the likely choice for a calligrapher.

In Modern Japanese, they use the character shown to the right.
They also tend to use this same form in Korean Hanja (I've only checked this word in my Korean dictionary but it has not been confirmed by a translator's review).

If that was not confusing enough, there is another alternate form of that second character. See right.

An Asian calligrapher of any nationality may use any of these forms at their discretion. However, They would tend to stick to the most common form used in their respective languages.

If you have any preference on any of these issues, please give us a special note with your order, and we'll make sure it's done the way you want.

工合 is one of those Asian words that is used more in English than it is in the original Chinese.

Gung Ho was originally used to speak of Carlson's Raiders, a group of "Gung Ho" U.S. Marines who went on an island-hopping campaign of death during WWII.

A movie called Gung Ho came out in the mid-1940s and was later re-released in the 1950s depicting the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and brought this word to the mainstream.

It is still sometimes used today within the U.S. Marine Corps brotherhood to refer to a unit or group that works well together, or is otherwise efficient and motivated (has good moral).

In 1986, there was a movie called Gung Ho, about a Japanese company taking over an American automotive factory. They completely ignored the fact that this was a Chinese title.

It should be noted that this title actually means a condition, state, manner, or health of something in Japanese.

Language and pronunciation notes:
Like many Asian words absorbed into common use in English, this one is drastically mispronounced. The official Romanization is "gong he" but that doesn't tell you enough. The vowel sound on the first character is like the English word "own", now just add the g-sounds to the beginning and end. The second character is misleading, as you might think it is like the English word "he". In reality, the vowel sound is more like the "u" in "up".

It should also be noted, that the current generation in China no longer uses, or recognizes this as a common word or slogan.

Note: This can be pronounced and is a word in Japanese, though seldom used. Japanese will use a variation of "具合" instead. But still, not common.

滿足 is the kind of happiness that involves being satisfied and content.

This can also suggest the actions of "to satisfy", "to meet the needs of".

Other single-word definitions include: satisfaction; contentment; sufficient; enough; adequate; full; complete.

In Japanese, the Kanji for this word is an alternate Chinese form. You can see and select this version at the right (recommended only if your audience is specifically Japanese).

See Also:  Satisfaction | Contentment | Pleasure | Well-Being

榮 relates to giving someone a tribute or praise.

It's a little odd as a gift, so this may not be the best selection for a wall scroll.

I've made this entry just because this character is often misused as "honorable" or "keeping your honor". It's not quite the same meaning, as this usually refers to a tribute or giving an honor to someone.

榮 is often found in tattoo books incorrectly listed as the western idea of personal honor or being honorable. Check with us before you get a tattoo that does not match the meaning you are really looking for. As a tattoo, this suggests that you either have a lot of pride in yourself or that you have a wish for prosperity for you and/or your family.

In modern Japanese Kanji, glory and honor looks like the image to the right.

There is a lot of confusion about this character, so here are some alternate translations for this character: prosperous, flourishing, blooming (like a flower), glorious beauty, proud, praise, rich, or it can be the family name "Rong". The context in which the character is used can change the meaning between these various ideas.

In the old days, this could be an honor paid to someone by the Emperor (basically a designation by the Emperor that a person has high standing).

To sum it up: 榮 has a positive meaning, however, it's a different flavor than the idea of being honorable and having integrity.

花木蘭 is the name of the famous Chinese woman warrior Hua Mulan.

She was made famous in the west by Disney's animated movie, "Mulan".

Most of the historical information about her comes from an ancient poem. It starts with a concerned Mulan, as she is told a man from each family is to serve conscription in the army. Her father is too old, and her brother is too young. Mulan decides to take the place of her father. After twelve years of war, the army returns and the best warriors are awarded great posts in the government and riches. Mulan turns down all offers, and asks only for a good horse for the long trip home. When Mulan greets visiting comrades wearing her old clothes, they are shocked to find the warrior they rode into battle with for years was actually a woman.

己足以 is a profound and philosophical way to say "I am enough" in Chinese.

The first character means self or oneself.

The last two characters are a word that means sufficient or enough.

These are the characters jing, qi, and shen.

As a set, these three characters are known in English as the treasures of traditional Chinese medicine, the treasures of Qi Gong, or the three treasures of Taoism / Daoism.

Sometimes this set is titled as 三寶 (sānbǎo) or "three treasures" but here, we're writing each treasure out.

Here's how these characters are perceived in this context...
Jing: nutritive essence; refined; perfected; pure
Qi: vitality; energy; force; breath; vigor
Shen: spirit; soul; mind; being

To keep it simple, you can use, "essence, vitality and spirit", to define these.

自他共榮 can be translated a few different ways. Here are some possibilities:
Benefit mutually and prosper together.
Mutual welfare and benefit.
A learning concept of mutual benefit and welfare (that applies to all fields of society).
Mutual prosperity.

The first two characters are easy to explain. They are "self" and "others". Together, these two characters create a word which means "mutual" (literally "me and them").

The third character can have different meanings depending on context. Here, it means "in common" or "to share".

The fourth character suggests the idea of "prosperity", "flourishing" or becoming "glorious".

It should be noted that these Kanji are used almost exclusively in the context of Judo martial arts. 自他共榮 is not a common or recognized Japanese proverb outside of Judo.

In modern Japanese Kanji, the last character looks like instead of . If you want this slightly-simplified version, please let us know when you place your order.

家內安全 is kind of the Japanese way of saying, "Family First". It's really a Japanese proverb about the safety and well-being of your family, and/or, peace and prosperity in the household.

Some Japanese will hang an amulet in their home with these Kanji on it. The purpose being to keep your family safe from harm.

According to Shinto followers, hanging this in your home is seen as an invocation to God to always keep members of the family free from harm.

We were actually looking for a way to say "family first" in Japanese when this proverb came up in the conversation and research. While it doesn't literally say "family first", it shows that the safety and well-being of your family is your first or most important priority. So, this proverb is the most natural way to express the idea that you put your family first.

See Also:  Peace and Prosperity

These two characters create a word in Chinese and Japanese that means something like benevolence with magnanimity or kindness with a forgiving nature.

If this describes you, then you are the type of person that I would like to call my friend.

This may not be the most common word in daily use but it's old enough that it transcended cultures from China to Japan in the 5th century when Japan lacked a written language, and absorbed Chinese characters and words into their language.
Note: 仁恕 is not commonly used in Korean.

叩頭 is the term that seems to be known worldwide as kowtow.

In Japanese and Chinese, it simply means a deep bow, especially one so low that one's head touches the ground in submission. However, in western culture, it has sometimes come to mean "giving in" or "surrendering to someone else's will". Sometimes even said of a person who stoops to flattery at the expense of their own dignity.

I don't know if you would really want this on a wall scroll but enough people have searched for this term on our website, that I guess it was time to add it. It just feels strange to see such a word on a wall scroll, so please order with caution. 叩頭 is antiquated in both Japanese and Chinese. The act is seldom done anymore and seen as an ancient ritual of sorts.

This Japanese proverb means, "live together and help each other", "existing together, thriving together", or "co-existence and co-prosperity".

江 means large river in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. This generally refers to a river big enough that it's navigable by cargo boats, passenger boats, or small ships.

In Japanese, this can be a surname when pronounced as Minkou or just Kou.

When you meet a wise person, you should learn from them and be inspired to become as wise as they are.

見賢思齊 is a pretty long proverb in English but in Chinese it's only four characters.
However, in Chinese the deeper meaning often surpass the dictionary definition of each character.

In this case, you should seek wise people to learn from throughout your life...
Always try to learn enough to become equal to them. It also suggests that the process of learning and seeking wisdom is a non-ending cycle.

See Also:  Knowledge

This means, "A life of happiness and prosperity" or "A life of happiness and success".

It's a great and very positive and inspirational wall scroll selection.

See Also:  Prosperity

This Japanese proverb means, "A life of happiness and prosperity" or "A life of happiness and success".

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

See Also:  Prosperity

雌獅 is how to write "lioness" in Chinese.

Note: 雌獅 is not a very common title for a wall scroll in China. Perhaps because lions are not indigenous to China. Though oddly enough, rarity of lions made them very prized - and lion dances are a popular festival attraction.
If you do see name of this species of animal written on a wall scroll, it's more likely to be the masculine form of "lion".

Literally this says: [Just as] white liquor makes people's faces turn red, [So] yellow gold makes people's hearts turn black.

This is a warning about the nature of greed. The suggestion is that one who lusts for gold and riches, will eventually have a black heart (or become a heartless greedy bastard). As a wall scroll, this is a reminder and warning to keep yourself from following the greedy path.

人生謳歌 means, "live for what you love" in Japanese.

The first two characters mean "human life" or simply "living". The last two characters mean, "merit", "prosperity", or "what you enjoy". This phrase can suggest working or staying busy for your own goals (in your career).

See Also:  Prosperity

This means, "live in prosperity". It's kind of a suggestion to be prosperity the center of your world.

This is the way some people want to live (and you should always live for what you love). However, this phrase does not suggest a peaceful life - rather one that is always busy. It's not for everyone but it might be for you.

See Also:  Prosperity

南山之壽 is a wish for long life for someone. The first part of this Japanese phrase is, "Nan Zan", which literally means "south mountain". This mountain is one of good wishes, good fortune, and prosperity. The title is often used as a salutation of good wishes.

The third Kanji is just a connector, and the last Kanji means long life or longevity.

I guess you could translate this phrase as "May your life be as long as Nan Zan is tall".

愛護 is the Chinese and Japanese Kanji for: to cherish, to treasure, to take care of, to love and protect, provide loving protection, or tender care.

This often gets translated as "Mind Sword Body", or "Spirit, Sword and Body as One". But I think these translations don't tell you enough about what this is really saying.

In this context, 気, which is the modern Japanese version of 氣, means spiritual and unseen energy or "life energy". In some cases, 気 can be translated as spirit, feeling, or nature. If defined as mind, it's more about invisible or intangible part of one's mind (or soul).

剣 is the Japanese version of 劍 meaning sword.

体 is the modern Japanese version of 體 meaning body.

The Kanji 一 means one, and in this case suggests "all in one". The Kanji 到 means to send, deliver, or convey. But together, 一到 suggests all these things in agreement, union cooperation, or in concert.

This suggests that you not give unwanted help or advice to someone.

The Japanese characters break down this way:
余計 (yokei) too much, unnecessary, extraneous, abundance, surplus, excess, superfluity.
な (na) connecting article. お世話 (osewa) help, aid, assistance.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

This Japanese word means precious, valuable, priceless, noble, exalted, or sacred.

貴重品 means precious or treasured as an adjective or as a noun, valuables or treasures in Japanese.

貴重品 exists in the Korean dictionary but is rarely if ever used in Korea.

繁榮 means "prosperous", "flourishing", or "thriving" when used in regards to a person.

However, when used in reference to a whole country, it can mean "booming economy".

繁榮 is the traditional Chinese, ancient Japanese Kanji, and ancient Korean Hanja version of prosperity.

Note: If you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher, the second character may look more like the Kanji shown to the right. If you want a different form, please note that in the special instructions for your order.

This four-character proverb is used in Chinese to mean "realize your ambitions" or "exhibit your ambition and success".

It's used to talk about someone with great career ambitions. Almost literally, it expresses the idea of someone unfolding a great career like a map or a set of blueprint plans.

Very literally translated, these four characters mean, "Great unfolding of a huge map" or "Great exhibition of a colossal plan".

富樂 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for a title meaning prosperity and happiness.

If you have a desire to live in prosperity and happiness, this is for you.

Note: This title is often used in a Buddhist context.

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 mood of the calligrapher, as to which form you may receive. If you have a preference, please let us know at the time of your order.

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.

This kind of prosperity applies to a business. Something great to hang behind your desk if you are a small or large business owner. Doing so says that you either are a successful business, or you wish success and prosperity for your business.

Can also be translated as thriving, flourishing, brisk business, and other words related to prosperity in business.

A good meaning in China but a little antiquated in Japanese.

See Also:  Prosperity

This literally means, "red treasure".

Depending on context, it can also mean, "money wrapped in red as a gift", "a bonus payment", "a kickback", or "a bribe".

However, most of the time, this is an innocent gift of money in a red envelope that is given from an elder relative to a youngster. This usually happens during Chinese New Years. It can also happen in preparation for, or during a wedding in China.

紅包 is called a "Hong Bao" in Chinese. Filipino Chinese call it an "Ang Pao". There are a few other variations.

悉達多 is the name Siddhartha (as in Siddhartha Gautama), the personal name for Śākyamuni.

This same Buddha is also known as "Shakyamuni Gautama", "Gotama Buddha", or "Tathagata".

Siddhartha Gautama was a spiritual teacher in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent who founded Buddhism. He is generally seen by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddha (Sammāsambuddha) of known human history.

The actual meaning of this name in Chinese is the realization of all aims, or simply being prosperous.

This name is sometimes romanized from the original Sanskrit or Pali as Siddhattha (from Siddhattha Gotama), Siddharth, Siddhārtha, or Sarvāthasiddha.

Siddhārtha or Sarvāthasiddha can also be written as 悉達, 悉多, 悉多頞他, or 悉陀.

星 is how "star" is written in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.

Thousands of years ago, when this character was first developed, there was belief that you could see remnants of stars in everything. In fact, some early Chinese men of science suggested that all living things came from "stardust" or cosmic debris. This could explain why the upper portion of this character mans "sun" (a star itself) and the lower portion means "birth" or "life".

Oddly enough, modern-day scientists suggest that we are all made up of cosmic dust. Seems they were getting it right in China at a time when the western world thought the Earth was flat and the Church was claiming that the sun and all cosmic bodies revolved around the Earth.

This Chinese and Japanese word for "success" is often used to refer to "career success" but is also used for other successes in life.

It matches the western dictionary definition of "The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted". And it's also used it this old Chinese proverb: which means Failure is the Mother of Success.

Sometimes this word is translated as prosperity but success, succeed, or successfully are more correct definitions.

See Also:  Prosperity

Got a sushi restaurant and need an appropriate wall scroll? Or maybe you love sushi enough to have it on your wall. This sushi calligraphy scroll is for you.

Note that the written characters for sushi are exactly the same in both Chinese and Japanese. However, the first character is actually a modern Japanese / Simplified Chinese so in some cases it will be written differently in Taiwan, Hong Kong and some older Japanese sushi restaurants.

This literally translates as: Treasure not a foot long [piece of] jade, [rather] treasure an inch of time.

Figuratively, this suggests that time is the most important/valuable thing in life.

In Chinese this word meaning treasure, something you value highly, or something very precious to you.

In Japanese, this has a meaning like "rare treasure".

The first character can mean precious thing or treasure. The second character can mean a jewel or gem, a treasure or simply precious. Together these two characters reinforce each other into a word that clearly means treasure.

寶 means precious thing or treasure.

This can also mean precious, a gem, a pearl, or anything valuable.

The version of this character shown to the left is the traditional Chinese and ancient/traditional Japanese version. In modern Japan and China, this character has been simplified. This simplified version is shown to the right. If you want this modern Japanese/simplified version, just click the Kanji on the right, instead of the button above. If your audience is Chinese or Korean, I recommend the ancient/traditional form. Only consider the simplified form if your audience is younger Japanese people.

財寶 is the Japanese word meaning "treasure" or "money and valuables".

The first character means "property", "money", "wealth" or "assets". The second character means "treasure", "wealth" or "valuables" in Japanese. Together these two characters reinforce each other into a word that clearly means treasure in Japanese.

財寶 is also a word meaning "money and valuables" in Chinese but more of a daily use word - not as appropriate for a wall scroll if your audience is Chinese.

The second character shown to the left is the ancient/traditional Japanese version. In modern Japan, this character has been simplified. This simplified version is shown to the right. If you want this modern Japanese/simplified version, just click the Kanji on the right, instead of the button above.

Wado-Ryu is a style of Karate or Jujutsu (Jujitsu).
Note: Many will argue as to whether this is a style of Karate or Jujutsu.

While some find Wado-Ryu similar to Shotokan Karate, enough differences exist in perspective and technique that it stands by itself.

Breaking down the characters into the proper Japanese Romaji, you have "wa dou ryuu" or "wa dō ryū". The meaning is roughly-translated as "Harmony Way Style" or "Peace Method Style". The first Kanji should probably be read as harmony, rather than peace in this case.

See Also:  Wado-Kai

The first character is the spirit or essence of a warrior. The second character means soldier, officer, or official. 武士 is also used appropriately enough to describe a piece of a chess game. This can also be translated as soldier, cavalier, palace guard, or samurai and sometimes as knight. I've occasionally seen this translated as strong man or tough man (gender not necessarily implied).

By far, this is the most common way to write warrior in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Note: In Japanese, this is Bushi, as in Bushido.

See Also:  Knight | Army | Marines | Samurai

This means "To bring flourishing peace and security to the world (our current era)".

It's really a wish that a new door leading to peace and prosperity could be opened to mankind.

Character and word breakdown:
啟 to open; to start; to initiate; to enlighten or awaken.
盛世 a flourishing period; period of prosperity; a golden age.
開 to open; to start; to turn on.
太平 peace and security; peace and tranquility; peace; tranquility.
I don't really like to do breakdowns like this, as the words altogether create their own unique meaning (encompassed in the main title above). Please take that into consideration.

豬 is the character for boar, pig, or swine in Chinese and old Korean.

If you were born in the year of the boar / year of the pig, you...

Are optimistic.
Have good luck with wealth and money.
Are honest, generous, and warm-hearted.

The character shown to the right is the Japanese Kanji for "wild boar."
it’s an alternate/simplified form of pig/boar in Chinese (can be read by both Chinese and Japanese people). Click on that character instead of the button above if you want this version.

See also our Chinese Zodiac page.

不自由毋寧死 means, "Give me liberty or give me death", in Chinese.

This is also the best way to say, "Live free or die".

The characters break down this way:
不 = Not; none; without.
自由 = Freedom; liberty; freewill; self-determination.
毋寧 = Rather; would rather; rather be.
死 = Dead; death.

This will go nicely next to your, "Don't tread on me", flag. This phrase is known well enough in China that it's listed in a few dictionaries. Though I doubt you will find too many Chinese citizens willing to yell this on the steps of the capital in Beijing.

See Also:  Death Before Dishonor

室利 is a Buddhist term or title that comes from the Sanskrit śrī.

The meaning is fortunate, lucky, prosperous, wealth, or beauty. This can be a sort of suffix for certain deities or respected people in Buddhism.

This text is the ninth chapter of the Daodejing / Tao Te Ching.

The text reads:
持而盈之、不如其已。揣而梲之、不可長保。 金玉滿堂、莫之能守。 富貴而驕、自遺其咎。 功遂身退、天之道。

This classical Chinese passage comes from the Mawangdui (馬王堆帛書) text.

知足 means content with one's situation, or to know contentment (hence happiness).

From Zen Buddhist context, Chisoku or 知足 (knowing what’s enough) means to always know and be satisfied with one’s lot.

Human pain and suffering is 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.