Buy a Keep Fighting calligraphy wall scroll here!
Personalize your custom “Keep Fighting” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Keep Fighting” title below...
See also: Bushido - Code of the Samurai Warrior
1. Attack When The Enemy Has Low Morale
2. Boxing
3. Diligence
6. Furinkazan
7. Indomitable / Persistence / Fortitude
9. Hand-to-Hand Fighting / Grappling
10. Never Give Up
11. No Fear
12. Perseverance
13. Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks
14. Shinkage-Ryu
拳擊 is the term used in Chinese to refer to the original Olympic sport of combat and fighting.
If you like to strap on your boxing gloves and go a few rounds or are just a fan of boxing, this could make a nice wall scroll for you.
Note that Japanese use the same first character (which means fist) but a different Kanji for the second. Please see our Japanese boxing entry for that version.
勤 is a single character that means diligence or “sense of duty” in Chinese and Korean (also understood in Japanese but not commonly seen as a stand-alone Kanji).
As a single character on a wall scroll, this will only be seen with this meaning. However, it can also mean industrious, hardworking, frequent, regular, constant, energy, zeal, fortitude, or virility.
In Buddhism, this can represent vīrya (viriya), the idea of energy, diligence, enthusiasm, or effort. It can be defined as an attitude of gladly engaging in wholesome activities, and it functions to cause one to accomplish wholesome or virtuous actions. Some Buddhists may even define this as “manliness” (a definition from a hundred years ago, before equality).
If you or someone you know is a hard worker (or needs a reminder to be diligent), then this is the wall scroll to have in your/their office.
The Will to Fight
斗志 literally means fighting spirit in Chinese.
As in the spirit that a warrior, soldier, athlete, or fighter must possess.
Note: There is more than one way to write the first character of this word. It is sometimes written like the version shown to the right (yes, it's completely different but has the same meaning & pronunciation). If you have a preference, please let us know in the special instructions about your order.
Alternate Japanese version
堅忍 means persistent, steadfast, fortitude, and/or perseverance.
The first character means strong, solid, firm, unyielding, or resolute.
The second character means to beat, endure, or tolerate.
Together they speak of the strength from within yourself. Some may also translate this as long-suffering in a more Biblical sense.
堅忍 is a common term in Chinese and Korean Hanja but a little less commonly used in modern Japanese Kanji. For that reason, this selection is best if your audience is Chinese or Korean.
Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write the second Kanji a little differently. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect the form where the little horizontal stroke crosses the vertical stroke. See differences in the images to the right. Technically, they are both the same character, and will be read the same in either language.
military strategy
風林火山 is the battle strategy and proverb of Japanese feudal lord Takeda Shingen (1521-1573 AD).
This came from the Art of War by Chinese strategist and tactician Sun Tzu (Sunzi).
You can think of this as an abbreviation to remind officers and troops how to conduct battle.
風林火山 is a word list: Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain.
The more expanded meaning is supposed to be...
“Swift as the wind, quiet as the forest, fierce as fire, and immovable as a mountain”
“As fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain”
“Move as swift as the wind, stay as silent as a forest, attack as fierce as fire, undefeatable defense like a mountain”
“Move swiftly like the wind, stay silent like the forest, attack fiercely like fire, take a tactical position on the mountain”
See Also: Art of War
不屈 is the short form of a longer Chinese word and also a word used in Korean and Japanese to express the idea of being indomitable. It literally means “will not bend,” “will not crouch,” “will not yield,” “will not flinch,” or “will not submit.”
Note: Some will translate this as “indomitable spirit”; however, technically, there is no character to suggest the idea of “spirit” in this word.
不屈不撓 means “Indomitable” or “Unyielding.”
不屈不撓 is a long word by Chinese standards. At least, it is often translated as a single word into English. It's actually a proverb in Chinese.
If you want to break it down, you can see that the first and third characters are the same. Both mean “not” (they work as a suffix to make a negative or opposite meaning to whatever character follows).
The second character means “bendable.”
The last means “scratched” or “bothered.”
So this really means “Won't be bent, can't be bothered.” I have also seen it written as “Will not crouch, will not submit.” This comes from the fact that the second character can mean “to crouch” and the last can mean “to submit” (as in “to give in” such as “submitting to the rule of someone else”). This may explain better why these four characters mean “indomitable.”
Notes:
Some will translate this as “indomitable spirit”; however, technically, there is no character to suggest the idea of “spirit” in this word.
Other translations include indefatigability, indomitableness, or unremitting tenacity.
The first two characters can be stand-alone words in Chinese.
In Japanese, this is considered two words (with very similar meanings). It's more common to see the word order flipped to 不撓不屈 in Japanese.
The same characters are used in old Korean Hanja. Just like in Japanese, the words are swapped to 不撓不屈 creating a word pronounced “불요불굴” in Korean.
See 不撓不屈
Kakuto
The first character means “eternal” or “forever,” and the second means “not” (together, they mean “never”). The last two characters mean “give up” or “abandon.” Altogether, you can translate this proverb as “never give up” or “never abandon.”
Depending on how you want to read this, 永不放棄 is also a statement that you will never abandon your hopes, dreams, family, or friends.
(2 characters)
無畏 literally means “No Fear.” But perhaps not the most natural Chinese phrase (see our other “No Fear” phrase for a complete thought). However, this two-character version of “No Fear” seems to be a very popular way to translate this into Chinese when we checked Chinese Google.
Note: This also means “No Fear” in Japanese and Korean, but this character pair is not often used in Japan or Korea.
This term appears in various Chinese dictionaries with definitions like “without fear,” intrepidity, fearless, dauntless, and bold.
In the Buddhist context, this is a word derived from the word Abhaya, meaning: Fearless, dauntless, secure, nothing, and nobody to fear. Also, from vīra meaning: courageous, bold.
See Also: Never Give Up | No Worries | Undaunted | Bravery | Courage | Fear No Man
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).
Persistence to overcome all challenges
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
Style of Japanese sword fighting
奮鬥 means strive (as in to put great effort into something or a cause).
It can also be translated as a struggle.
The second character of this word can also be written as shown to the right. Yes. it’s very different. If you want this alternate version, just let us know when you place your order (in the special instructions).
前赴後繼 is a Chinese proverb that figuratively means “to advance dauntlessly in wave upon wave.”
It suggests that you should or can carry on and have the strength to keep going.
While this proverb is a little bit militaristic, it suggests that despite a fallen comrade (or perhaps a loved one), you should keep going and work towards the goal they intended.
兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 is a proverb that informs how it is better to have warriors of quality, rather than just a large quantity of warriors in your army/force.
This literally means: [Just as] warriors [are valued for their] quality and not [just] for quantity, [so] generals [are valued] for their tactics, not [just] for [their] bravery.
See Also: 兵在精而不在多
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Attack When The Enemy Has Low Morale | 避其鋭氣擊其惰歸 避其锐气击其惰归 | bì qí ruì qì jī qí duò guī bi4 qi2 rui4 qi4 ji1 qi2 duo4 gui1 bi qi rui qi ji qi duo gui biqiruiqijiqiduogui | pi ch`i jui ch`i chi ch`i to kuei pichijuichichichitokuei pi chi jui chi chi chi to kuei |
|
Boxing | 拳擊 拳击 | quán jī / quan2 ji1 / quan ji / quanji | ch`üan chi / chüanchi / chüan chi | |
Diligence | 勤 | kin | qín / qin2 / qin | ch`in / chin |
Fighting Spirit | 斗志 | dòu zhì / dou4 zhi4 / dou zhi / douzhi | tou chih / touchih | |
Fighting Spirit | 闘誌 闘志 | tou shi / toushi / to shi | ||
Fighting Spirit | 闘魂 | tou kon / toukon / to kon | ||
Fighting Spirit | 闘氣 闘気气 | tou ki / touki / to ki | ||
Perseverance Fortitude | 堅忍 坚忍 | ken nin / kennin | jiǎn rěn / jian3 ren3 / jian ren / jianren | chien jen / chienjen |
Furinkazan | 風林火山 风林火山 | fuu rin ka zan fuurinkazan fu rin ka zan | fēng lín huǒ shān feng1 lin2 huo3 shan1 feng lin huo shan fenglinhuoshan | |
Indomitable Persistence Fortitude | 不屈 | fukutsu | bù qū / bu4 qu1 / bu qu / buqu | pu ch`ü / puchü / pu chü |
Indomitable Unyielding | 不屈不撓 不屈不挠 | fu kutsu fu tou fukutsufutou fu kutsu fu to | bù qū bù náo bu4 qu1 bu4 nao2 bu qu bu nao buqubunao | pu ch`ü pu nao puchüpunao pu chü pu nao |
Hand-to-Hand Fighting Grappling | 格闘 / 挌闘 格闘 | kakutou / kakuto kakuto / kakuto | ||
Never Give Up | 永不放棄 永不放弃 | yǒng bù fàng qì yong3 bu4 fang4 qi4 yong bu fang qi yongbufangqi | yung pu fang ch`i yungpufangchi yung pu fang chi |
|
No Fear | 無畏 无畏 | mui | wú wèi / wu2 wei4 / wu wei / wuwei | |
Perseverance | 毅 | see note / seenote / se note | yì / yi4 / yi | i |
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 |
Shinkage-Ryu | 新陰流 | shin kage ryuu shinkageryuu shin kage ryu | ||
Strive Struggle | 奮鬥 / 奮斗 奋斗 / 奋鬥 | fèn dòu / fen4 dou4 / fen dou / fendou | fen tou / fentou | |
Strive Struggle | 奮闘 / 奮鬥 奋斗 / 奋鬥 | fun tou / funtou / fun to | ||
Carry On, Undaunted | 前赴後繼 前赴后继 | qián fù hòu jì qian2 fu4 hou4 ji4 qian fu hou ji qianfuhouji | ch`ien fu hou chi chienfuhouchi chien fu hou chi |
|
Value of Warrior Generals | 兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 兵在精而不在多将在谋而不在勇 | bīng zài jīng ér bú zài duō jiàng zài móu ér bú zài yǒng bing1 zai4 jing1 er2 bu2 zai4 duo1 jiang4 zai4 mou2 er2 bu2 zai4 yong3 bing zai jing er bu zai duo jiang zai mou er bu zai yong | ping tsai ching erh pu tsai to chiang tsai mou erh pu tsai yung | |
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. |
Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...
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.
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 Keep Fighting Kanji, Keep Fighting Characters, Keep Fighting in Mandarin Chinese, Keep Fighting Characters, Keep Fighting in Chinese Writing, Keep Fighting in Japanese Writing, Keep Fighting in Asian Writing, Keep Fighting Ideograms, Chinese Keep Fighting symbols, Keep Fighting Hieroglyphics, Keep Fighting Glyphs, Keep Fighting in Chinese Letters, Keep Fighting Hanzi, Keep Fighting in Japanese Kanji, Keep Fighting Pictograms, Keep Fighting in the Chinese Written-Language, or Keep Fighting in the Japanese Written-Language.
123 people have searched for Keep Fighting in Chinese or Japanese in the past year.
Keep Fighting was last searched for by someone else on Feb 27th, 2024