The Name Kir in Japanese/Chinese on a Custom-Made Wall Scroll.

阿基拉 is a common way to transliterate the name Akira into Mandarin Chinese.

アキラ is the name Akira in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

イキロ is the name Ikiro in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

生きる is a Japanese title that means to live, to exist, to make a living, to subsist, to come to life, or to be enlivened.

生きる is also the title of a 1952 Japanese movie that uses the translated English title of “To Live.”

This term, when used in the context of baseball, and some Japanese games such as “go,” can mean “safe.”

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

基爾 is the name Kir in Chinese (Mandarin).

キル is the name Kir in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

吉拉 is a common way to transliterate the name Kira into Mandarin Chinese.

This is another common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the female name Kira.

キラ is the name Kira in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基蘭 is the name Kiran in Chinese (Mandarin).

This is a common Mandarin Chinese transliteration for the male Indian name Kiran.

キラン is the name Kiran in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基蘭迪普 is the name Kirandeep in Chinese (Mandarin).

キランディープ is the name Kirandeep in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基拉尼 is the name Kirani in Chinese (Mandarin).

キラニ is the name Kirani in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

キラニエグ is the name Kiranieg in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

柯比 is the name Kirby in Chinese (Mandarin).

カービー is the name Kirby in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基爾 is the name Kire in Chinese (Mandarin).

キア is the name Kire in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基里 is the name Kiri in Chinese (Mandarin).

キリ is the name Kiri in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基里安娜 is the name Kiriana in Chinese (Mandarin).

キリアナ is the name Kiriana in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基里巴斯 is the name Kiribati in Chinese (Mandarin).

キリバス is the name Kiribati in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

科瑞爾 is the name Kiril in Chinese (Mandarin).

キリル is the name Kiril in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基里爾 is the name Kirill in Chinese (Mandarin).

キリル is the name Kirill in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

麒麟 is the title of a mythical beast of Asia.

The animal is thought to be related to the giraffe, and in some ways, it is a giraffe. However, it is often depicted with the horns of a dragon or deer and sometimes with the body like a horse, but many variations exist.

In Japanese, it is pronounced “Kirin” as in “Kirin Ichiban” beer.


Notes:

1. This is sometimes spelled as “kylin.”

2. In Japanese, this is the only Kanji word for giraffe. Therefore in Japan, this word needs context to know whether you are talking about the mythical creature or the long-necked giraffe of Africa.

3. Apparently, this was the first word used for regular giraffes in China (some were brought from Africa to China during the Ming Dynasty - probably around the year 1400). Though the mythical creature may have existed before, the name “qilin” was given to the “new giraffe.” This is because, more than 600 years ago, giraffes somewhat matched the mythical creature's description when Chinese people saw them for the first time. Later, to avoid such an ambiguous title, a three-character word was devised to mean a “giraffe of Africa.” The characters for “qilin” shown here are only for the mythological version in modern Chinese.

4. More information about the qilin / kirin from Wikipedia.

5. This creature is sometimes translated as the “Chinese Unicorn,” although it is generally portrayed with two horns. I think this is done more for the fantasy aspect of the unicorn and because most westerners don't know what a qilin or kirin is (this avoids a long explanation by the translator).

6. In Korean, this can mean kirin or simply giraffe (usually, the mythological creature is what they would think of when seeing these characters alone on a wall scroll).

柯剋 is the name Kirk in Chinese (Mandarin).

カーク is the name Kirk in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

克爾斯滕 is the name Kirsten in Chinese (Mandarin).

キルステン is the name Kirsten in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

祺爾史迪 is the name Kirstie in Chinese (Mandarin).

カースティ is the name Kirstie in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

科斯蒂 is the name Kirsty in Chinese (Mandarin).

カースチイ is the name Kirsty in Japanese.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基魯 is the name Kiru in Chinese (Mandarin).

きる is the Japanese name Kiru in Hiragana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Hiragana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

基爾瓦 is the name Kirwa in Chinese (Mandarin).

キルワ is the name Kirwa in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

夏奇拉 is the name Shakira in Chinese (Mandarin).

シャキラ is the name Shakira in Japanese (Katakana).

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

扎基爾 is the name Zakir in Chinese (Mandarin).

ザキル is the name Zakir in Japanese Katakana.

Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.