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1. Great Sea
2. Great Aspirations / Ambition
7. Marine / Soldier of the Sea
8. Ocean
9. Sea Turtle
10. United Kingdom
11. Great Aspirations / Ambition
16. Great Endeavor / To Strive
17. England
18. Falkland Islands
19. Gibraltar
20. Great Britain
22. Grand Master / Great Teacher
23. Heroic Spirit / Great Ambition
24. Hong Kong
25. Ireland
26. Northern Ireland
27. The Sea of Knowledge Has No Limits
28. Ocean / Sea
29. Great Wisdom
30. Great Ambitions
31. River of Literacy, Sea of Learning
32. Scotland
33. Sea Turtle
34. United Kingdom
35. Great Peace
36. Great Wisdom
37. Great Illumination of Wisdom
38. Great Power
This is a rarely-used word for ocean in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. This is here mostly for reference - please order a different ocean for your custom calligraphy wall scroll.
The first character means “big” or “great.”
The second means “ocean” or “body of water” (it can sometimes mean “foreign” but not in this case).
The first character designates that you are talking about a great or huge body of water (certainly a major ocean and not a smaller sea).
大望 is one of a few ways to write “dream big” in Japanese.
This is a good title if you want that to inspire ambition or high aspirations. 大望 is also a way to say “great expectations.”
大君 is the Japanese word Taikun. It's defined directly as liege, lord, or an alternate title for a shogunate.
The sound of this Japanese word entered the English lexicon by the 1800s but took the spelling of “tycoon.” Even President Lincoln was referred to as a Tycoon in the 1860s.
In Japan, this is still understood as “Great Lord” or “Big Boss.” In America, it means “Bill Gates” and “Warren Buffet.”
海兵 is a way to express “Marine” as in an individual “Soldier of the Sea” in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja characters (not to be confused with Korean Hangul).
Breaking down each character, this means:
“ocean/sea soldier/army/warrior.”
Please note that this Japanese/Korean version kind of means “sailor” or “navy” in Chinese.
See Also: Military
海洋 is probably the most common word for “ocean” in Japanese. 海洋 is also sometimes used in Chinese and Korean Hanja.
In Japan, this can also be a female given name when pronounced as Miyou or Unami.
This is the most common Japanese name for the United Kingdom.
See Also: Great Britain | England | Scotland | Ireland | Europe
鴻鵠之誌 is a Chinese proverb that implies that having grand ambitions also means that others will not understand your great expectations and ideas.
Though the actual words come from a longer saying of Confucius, which goes, “The little swallows living under the eaves wouldn't understand the lofty ambitions of a swan (who flies far and wide).”
This Confucius quote has led to this idiomatic expression in China that means “think big.” What you'd be saying is “The lofty ambitions of a swan.”
Note that Chinese people sometimes refer to the little swallow as one who does not “think big” but is, instead, stuck in a rut or just leading a mundane life. Therefore, it's a compliment to be called a swan but not a good thing to be called a swallow.
望 holds the ideas of ambition, hope, desire, aspiring to, expectations, looking towards, to gaze (into the distance), and in some contexts, full moon rising.
望 is one of those single characters that is vague but in that vagueness, it also means many things.
望 is a whole word in Chinese and old Korean but is seldom seen alone in Japanese. Still, it holds the meanings noted above in all three languages.
Quote from William S. Clark in Japan
少年よ大志を抱け was a sort of motto or proverb invoked by William Clark after being hired by the Emperor of Japan in 1876 to establish a university in Hokkaido, Japan.
This phrase has been famous across all generations of Japan since that time.
More about William S. Clark's adventures in Japan.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
大名 is the title Daimyō in Japanese, which means “lord” or “great name.”
This has the same meaning in Chinese as “great name,” or “your distinguished name.” In ancient Japan, this referred to a feudal lord.
Also sometimes romanized from Japanese as Daimio, Daimyou, Oomiyou, or Oomyou.
努力 means great effort; to strive; to try hard; great effort; great exertion; great endeavor (endeavour); great effort; to strive.
This “striving endeavor” word is valid in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This is the Chinese name for the country of England.
See Also: Great Britain | United Kingdom | Ireland | Scotland | Northern Ireland | Europe
This is the Chinese name for the Falkland Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom).
See Also: Great Britain | United Kingdom | Africa
This is the Chinese name for Gibraltar (territory of the United Kingdom but also claimed by Spain).
See Also: Great Britain | Spain | Europe
This is the Chinese name for Great Britain.
See Also: England | United Kingdom | Scotland | Ireland | Europe
長城 is the Chinese name for the Great Wall.
Built at the northern border of China to protect from Mongol attack.
Notes:
In Japanese, this can be a surname Nagaki. Japanese often use a longer title for the Great Wall of China.
In Korean, this refers to Changsŏng (a city in Changsŏng-kun county, Chŏllanam-to province).
大師 is a way to title a great master, grand master, or great teacher.
This can be used in the context of martial arts or a Buddhist teacher. Thus, it can be used to title a living Buddha, Bodhisattva, or high-ranking monk.
This is the Chinese and Japanese name for the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of The Peoples Republic of China known as Hong Kong (formerly a British administrated territory).
The romanization “Hong Kong” is probably a British approximation of the Cantonese pronunciation for this land.
See Also: Great Britain | China | Macao | Taiwan | Singapore | Japan | Vietnam | Korea | Asia
This is the Chinese name for the country of Ireland.
See Also: Northern Ireland | Great Britain | England | Scotland | United Kingdom | Europe
This is the Chinese name for the country of Northern Ireland.
See Also: Ireland | United Kingdom | Great Britain | Europe
學海無涯 is a Chinese proverb that reads, “sea of learning, no horizon.”
Colloquially, it means there are no limits to what one still has left to learn.
This would be the Chinese equivalent to the quote from Hippocrates, “ars longa, vita brevis,” meaning “it takes a long time to acquire and perfect one's expertise.”
See Also: Learning is Eternal
海 is the character often used for sea or ocean in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. In some context, this can refer to the beach, or an area near the sea, such as “Shanghai” (same hai is the second character of Shanghai).
If you are looking for a universal word for ocean or sea - or can't decide which character for ocean or sea that you want, pick this one!
海 is also a common female given name in Japan - also a good name for a restaurant as “Umi Sushi” would mean “Ocean Sushi Restaurant.”
Please note that our Japanese master calligrapher will tend to write this character in the form shown to the right (a line instead of two dots). Both versions are correct, and can be read in either language. Let us know if you have a preference when you order.
Prajñā
般若 means great wisdom or wondrous knowledge.
In the Buddhist context, this is prajna or prajñā, to know, to understand, to have the wisdom required to attain enlightenment.
Since this is a wisdom that transcends the realm of logic, the pure, absolute wisdom beyond the reach of words and concepts, it is not obtained through learning but is realized for the first time through a religious experience.
Brave the wind and the waves
乘風破浪 is a Chinese proverb that represents having great ambitions.
The British might say “to plough through.” Another way to understand it is “surmount all difficulties and forge ahead courageously.”
This can also be translated as “braving the wind and waves,” “to brave the wind and the billows,” “to ride the wind and crest the waves,” or “to be ambitious and unafraid.”
Literally, it reads: “ride (like a chariot) [the] wind [and] break/cleave/cut [the] waves,” or “ride [the] wind [and] slash [through the] waves.”
乘風破浪 is a great proverb to encourage yourself or someone else not to be afraid of problems or troubles, and when you have a dream, just go for it.
There is an alternate version, 長風破浪, but 乘風破浪 is far more common.
文江學海 is a Chinese proverb that reads, “river of literacy, a sea of learning”
This suggests that there is a lot to learn in the world, with an eternal amount of reading and things to study.
文江學海 is one way to translate the quote from Hippocrates, “ars longa, vita brevis,” meaning “it takes a long time to acquire and perfect one's expertise.”
See Also: Learning is Eternal
蘇格蘭 is the Chinese name for Scotland.
See Also: Great Britain | United Kingdom | England | Northern Ireland | Ireland | Europe
黿 is the Chinese and Korean title for sea turtle.
黿 may also be used to refer to a loggerhead turtle or hawksbill turtle.
大英聯合王國 is the Chinese name for the United Kingdom.
See Also: Great Britain | England | Scotland | Ireland | Europe
大道無門 is a Buddhist proverb that means “The Great Way has no entrance,” “The Great Way is gateless,” or “The Great Path lacks a gate.”
This can be translated in many other ways.
This concept was authored within a long sacred text by 無門慧開 (known as Wúmén Huìkāi in Chinese or Mumon Ekai in Japanese). He was a Chinese Chan Master (in Japanese, a Zen Master) who lived between 1183 and 1260 AD. His most famous work was a 48-koan collection titled “The Gateless Barrier” or “The Gateless Gate” (無門關 Wú Mén Guān in Chinese, or 無門関 Mu Mon Kan in Japanese). This calligraphy title is a notable line from this collection.
I like this reference to the source of this proverb: The Gateless Gate 無門關
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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 | |
Great Sea | 大洋 | tai you / taiyou / tai yo | dà yáng / da4 yang2 / da yang / dayang | ta yang / tayang |
Great Aspirations Ambition | 大志を抱 | tai shi wo idaku taishiwoidaku | ||
Great Britain | 英國 英国 | ei koku / eikoku | ||
Big Dream Great Hope | 大望 | tai mou / taimou / tai mo | ||
The Great Wall of China | 万里の長城 | ban ri no chou jou banrinochoujou ban ri no cho jo | ||
Great Lord Tycoon | 大君 | tai kun / taikun | ||
Marine Soldier of the Sea | 海兵 | kai hei / kaihei | ||
Ocean | 海洋 | kai you / kaiyou / kai yo | hǎi yáng / hai3 yang2 / hai yang / haiyang | |
Sea Turtle | 海亀 | umigame | ||
United Kingdom | 連合王國 連合王国 | rengououkoku / rengookoku rengokoku / rengokoku | ||
Great Aspirations Ambition | 鴻鵠之誌 鸿鹄之志 | hóng hú zhī zhì hong2 hu2 zhi1 zhi4 hong hu zhi zhi honghuzhizhi | hung hu chih chih hunghuchihchih |
|
Great Expectations | 望 | bou / nozomi bo / nozomi | wàng / wang4 / wang | |
Boys be Ambitious | 少年よ大志を抱け | shou nen yo tai shi o ida ke shounenyotaishioidake sho nen yo tai shi o ida ke | ||
Daimyo Great Name | 大名 | dai myou / daimyou / dai myo | dà míng / da4 ming2 / da ming / daming | ta ming / taming |
Door of Great Wisdom | 大智慧門 大智慧门 | dai chi e mon daichiemon | dà zhì huì mén da4 zhi4 hui4 men2 da zhi hui men dazhihuimen | ta chih hui men tachihhuimen |
Great Endeavor To Strive | 努力 | doryoku / doryoku | nǔ lì / nu3 li4 / nu li / nuli | |
England | 英國 英国 | yīng guó / ying1 guo2 / ying guo / yingguo | ying kuo / yingkuo | |
Falkland Islands | 福克蘭群島 福克兰群岛 | fú kè lán qún dǎo fu2 ke4 lan2 qun2 dao3 fu ke lan qun dao fukelanqundao | fu k`o lan ch`ün tao fukolanchüntao fu ko lan chün tao |
|
Gibraltar | 直布羅陀 直布罗陀 | zhí bù luō tuó zhi2 bu4 luo1 tuo2 zhi bu luo tuo zhibuluotuo | chih pu lo t`o chihpuloto chih pu lo to |
|
Great Britain | 大不列顛 大不列颠 | dà bù liè diān da4 bu4 lie4 dian1 da bu lie dian dabuliedian | ta pu lieh tien tapuliehtien |
|
The Great Wall of China | 長城 长城 | chou jou / choujou / cho jo | cháng chéng chang2 cheng2 chang cheng changcheng | ch`ang ch`eng changcheng chang cheng |
Grand Master Great Teacher | 大師 大师 | daishi | dà shī / da4 shi1 / da shi / dashi | ta shih / tashih |
Heroic Spirit Great Ambition | 雄心 | yuushin / yushin | xióng xīn xiong2 xin1 xiong xin xiongxin | hsiung hsin hsiunghsin |
Hong Kong | 香港 | hon kon / honkon | xiāng gǎng xiang1 gang3 xiang gang xianggang | hsiang kang hsiangkang |
Ireland | 愛爾蘭 爱尔兰 | ài ěr lán ai4 er3 lan2 ai er lan aierlan | ai erh lan aierhlan |
|
Northern Ireland | 北愛爾蘭 北爱尔兰 | běi ài ěr lán bei3 ai4 er3 lan2 bei ai er lan beiaierlan | pei ai erh lan peiaierhlan |
|
The Sea of Knowledge Has No Limits | 學海無涯 学海无涯 | xué hǎi wú yá xue2 hai3 wu2 ya2 xue hai wu ya xuehaiwuya | hsüeh hai wu ya hsüehhaiwuya |
|
Ocean Sea | 海 | umi | hǎi / hai3 / hai | |
Great Wisdom | 般若 | hannya | bō rě / bo1 re3 / bo re / bore | po je / poje |
Great Ambitions | 乘風破浪 乘风破浪 | chéng fēng pò làng cheng2 feng1 po4 lang4 cheng feng po lang chengfengpolang | ch`eng feng p`o lang chengfengpolang cheng feng po lang |
|
River of Literacy, Sea of Learning | 文江學海 文江学海 | wén jiāng xué hǎi wen2 jiang1 xue2 hai3 wen jiang xue hai wenjiangxuehai | wen chiang hsüeh hai wenchianghsüehhai |
|
Scotland | 蘇格蘭 苏格兰 | sū gé lán su1 ge2 lan2 su ge lan sugelan | su ko lan sukolan |
|
Sea Turtle | 黿 鼋 | yuán / yuan2 / yuan | yüan | |
United Kingdom | 大英聯合王國 大英联合王国 | dài yīng lián hé wáng guó dai4 ying1 lian2 he2 wang2 guo2 dai ying lian he wang guo daiyinglianhewangguo | tai ying lien ho wang kuo taiyinglienhowangkuo |
|
Great Peace | 大安穏 | daiannon | ||
Great Wisdom | 大智 | daichi | dà zhì / da4 zhi4 / da zhi / dazhi | ta chih / tachih |
Great Illumination of Wisdom | 大智明 | dai chi myou daichimyou dai chi myo | dà zhì míng da4 zhi4 ming2 da zhi ming dazhiming | ta chih ming tachihming |
Great Power | 大力 | dai riki / dairiki | dà lì / da4 li4 / da li / dali | ta li / tali |
Great Responsibility | 重擔 重担 | juu tan / juutan / ju tan | zhòng dàn zhong4 dan4 zhong dan zhongdan | chung tan chungtan |
Great Lotus Wisdom - Samadhi Wisdom | 大蓮華智慧三摩地智 大莲华智慧三摩地智 | dai renge chie sanmajichi dairengechiesanmajichi | dà lián huá zhì huì sān mó dì zhì da4 lian2 hua2 zhi4 hui4 san1 mo2 di4 zhi4 da lian hua zhi hui san mo di zhi | ta lien hua chih hui san mo ti chih |
The Great Path has No Gate | 大道無門 大道无门 | dai dou mu mon daidoumumon dai do mu mon | dà dào wú mén da4 dao4 wu2 men2 da dao wu men dadaowumen | ta tao wu men tataowumen |
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. |
Some people may refer to this entry as Great Sea Kanji, Great Sea Characters, Great Sea in Mandarin Chinese, Great Sea Characters, Great Sea in Chinese Writing, Great Sea in Japanese Writing, Great Sea in Asian Writing, Great Sea Ideograms, Chinese Great Sea symbols, Great Sea Hieroglyphics, Great Sea Glyphs, Great Sea in Chinese Letters, Great Sea Hanzi, Great Sea in Japanese Kanji, Great Sea Pictograms, Great Sea in the Chinese Written-Language, or Great Sea in the Japanese Written-Language.