We have many options to create artwork with Forgive characters on a wall scroll or portrait.
This single character means “forgive” in Chinese.
In Korean, this kind of means forgive but also has slightly different definitions of considering, excuse, faithful or believe.
Deep heartfelt forgiveness
寛恕 is a word of Chinese origin means forgive or forgiveness.
寬恕 is a deep kind of forgiveness from the bottom of your heart.
In a religious context, this is the kind of forgiveness that you beg God for and that God grants you.
In Korean Hanja, this can also be defined as forbearance or leniency.
In Japanese Kanji, beyond forgiveness, this can also mean magnanimity or generosity.
While we don't actively recommend Asian tattoos, this would be the forgiveness title that is best for a tattoo in most cases.
Note: The first character can also be written in the form shown to the right (especially in Japanese). If you have a preference, please let us know in the "special instructions" when you place your order.
略跡原情 is a Chinese proverb that means “to overlook past faults,” or “forgive and forget.”
It's more literally, “Abridge or make small the scars from your past emotions.” You should let it go.
The character breakdown:
略 (lüè) abbreviation; omission; abridge.
跡 (jī) ruins; scar; traces.
原 (yuán) former.
情 (qíng) feeling; emotion.
Confucian Proverb
不念舊惡 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Do not recall old grievances,” or more simply as “Forgive and forget.”
The character breakdown:
不 (bù) not; no; don't.
念 (niàn) read aloud.
舊 (jiù) old; former.
惡 (è) wicked deeds; grievances; sins.
This proverb comes from the Analects of Confucius.
Water Under the Bridge
水に流す is a Japanese proverb that suggests that “water continues to flow.”
It's similar to our English phrase, “Water under the bridge.” The perceived meaning is, “Forgive and forget.”
I have also seen this translated as “Don't cry over spilled milk.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
原諒我的罪孽 is a religious phrase, which means exactly what the title suggests.
See Also: Christian
我を許す is how to write “forgive yourself” in Japanese.
The first two characters mean “regarding myself.”
The last two characters mean “to forgive,” “to excuse (from),” “to pardon,” “to release,” “to let off,” “to permit,” “to allow,” and/or “to approve.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
容赦 is the kind of forgiveness that a king might give to his subjects for crimes or wrong-doings.
容赦 is a rather high-level forgiveness. Meaning that it goes from a higher level to a lower (not the reverse).
Alone, the first character can mean “to bear,” “to allow,” and/or “to tolerate,” and the second can mean “to forgive,” “to pardon,” and/or “to excuse.”
When you put both characters together, you get forgiveness, pardon, mercy, leniency, or going easy (on someone).
See Also: Benevolence
恕 means to forgive, show mercy, absolve, or excuse in Chinese and Korean Hanja (though mostly used in compound words in Korean).
恕 incorporates the pictogram of a heart at the bottom, and a woman and a mouth at the top. The heart portion has the most significance, as it is suggested that it is the heart's nature to forgive.
In Asian culture, as with most other cultures, forgiveness is an act of benevolence and altruism. In forgiving, you put yourself in someone else's shoes and show them the kindness that you would want them to show you. Confucius referred to this quality as “human-heartedness.”
仁恕 is 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.
慈 is the simplest way to express the idea of compassion.
This can also mean love for your fellow humans, humanity, or living creatures. Sometimes this is extended to mean charity.
This term is often used in a Buddhist or Christian context. The concept was also spoken of by Laozi (Lao Tzu) in the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).
慈 is considered the direct translation of the Sanskrit word मैत्री (maitrī) Pali word मेत्ता (mettā). In this context, it means benevolence, loving kindness, and goodwill.
This Chinese character is understood in Japanese but is usually used in compound words (not seen alone). Also used in old Korean Hanja, so it's very universal.
See Also: Mercy | Benevolence | Forgiveness | Kindness
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Forgive | 諒 谅 | liàng / liang4 / liang | ||
Forgive | 原諒 原谅 | yuán liàng yuan2 liang4 yuan liang yuanliang | yüan liang yüanliang |
|
Forgive | 寬恕 / 寛恕 宽恕 | kan jo / kanjo | kuān shù / kuan1 shu4 / kuan shu / kuanshu | k`uan shu / kuanshu / kuan shu |
Begging Forgiveness | 饒恕 饶恕 | ráo shù / rao2 shu4 / rao shu / raoshu | jao shu / jaoshu | |
Forgive and Forget | 略跡原情 略迹原情 | lüè jì yuán qíng lve4 ji4 yuan2 qing2 lve ji yuan qing lvejiyuanqing | chi yüan ch`ing chiyüanching chi yüan ching |
|
Forgive and Forget | 不念舊惡 不念旧恶 | bú niàn jiù è bu2 nian4 jiu4 e4 bu nian jiu e bunianjiue | pu nien chiu o punienchiuo |
|
Forgive and Forget | 水に流す | mizu ni naga su mizuninagasu | ||
Forgive Me of My Sins | 原諒我的罪孽 原谅我的罪孽 | yuán liàng wǒ de zuì niè yuan2 liang4 wo3 de zui4 nie4 yuan liang wo de zui nie yuanliangwodezuinie | yüan liang wo te tsui nieh yüanliangwotetsuinieh |
|
Forgive Yourself | 原諒自己 原谅自己 | yuán liàng zì jǐ yuan2 liang4 zi4 ji3 yuan liang zi ji yuanliangziji | yüan liang tzu chi yüanliangtzuchi |
|
Forgive Yourself Release Yourself | 我を許す | ware o yuru su wareoyurusu | ||
Forgiveness (from the top down) | 容赦 | you sha / yousha / yo sha | róng shè / rong2 she4 / rong she / rongshe | jung she / jungshe |
Forgiveness | 恕 | shù / shu4 / shu | ||
God Forgive Me | 神様お許しを | kami sama o yuru shi wo kamisamaoyurushiwo | ||
Please Forgive Me | 請原諒 请原谅 | qíng yuán liàng qing2 yuan2 liang4 qing yuan liang qingyuanliang | ch`ing yüan liang chingyüanliang ching yüan liang |
|
Please Forgive Me | お許しを | oyurushi wo oyurushiwo | ||
Kindness and Forgiving Nature | 仁恕 | jinjo | rén shù / ren2 shu4 / ren shu / renshu | jen shu / jenshu |
Mercy Compassion Love | 慈 | ji | cí / ci2 / ci | tz`u / tzu |
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. |
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.