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1. Henning
2. Manning
3. Channing
4. Jennings
5. Browning
6. Benin
7. Jeanine
8. Jeannine
9. Lenin
10. Peaceful / Tranquil / Calm / Free From Worry
11. Tranquil / Tranquility / Serenity
12. Sonin
13. Sennin
14. Antonin
15. Mekonnen
16. Ninrod
17. Nazanin
18. Better to Choose Nothing, Rather than Make a Poor Choice
21. Tranquility Yields Transcendence
22. Peace of Mind
23. Achieve Inner Peace; Find Deep Understanding
24. Live Free or Die
This is a nice word that means peaceful, tranquil, calm, composed, “free from worry,” “public peace,” tranquility, good health, well-being, or welfare in Chinese and Korean.
Note: The definition in Japanese is not so broad but still means peaceful or “public peace.”
寧靜 expresses the idea of tranquility and serenity in Chinese.
See Also: Peace | Inner Peace | Harmony | Calm
寧缺毋濫 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Better to have nothing (than substandard choice).”
It basically suggests that one should prefer to go without something rather than accept a shoddy option.
See Also: A Deliberate Inaction is Better Than a Blind Action
Better to be broken jade than unbroken pottery
寧為玉碎 is the short version of a longer Chinese proverb which means “rather be shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery.”
寧為玉碎 says the “rather be a broken piece of jade” part (the second half is implied - everyone in China knows this idiom).
A little more explanation:
Death is implied with the “broken” meaning. Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, and in this case, is compared with one's honor and self-worth. Pottery is just something you eat off of; it has no deep value, just as a person who has lost their honor or had none to begin with.
Thus, this means “better to die with honor than to live in shame” or words to that effect.
This is often translated in English as “Death Before Dishonor,” the famous military slogan.
I would also compare this to the English proverb, “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”
Rather die than compromise
寧死不屈 is often translated as “Death Before Dishonor.”
The literal translation is more like, “Better die than compromise.” The last two characters mean “not to bend” or “not to bow down.” Some might even say that it means “not to surrender.” Thus, you could say this proverb means “Better to die than live on my knees” or simply “no surrender” (with the real idea being that you would rather die than surrender).
寧死不降 is an ancient Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Rather die than surrender,” “Prefer death over surrender,” “To prefer death to surrender,” or simply “No surrender.”
This is probably the closest proverb to the English proverb “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”
寧靜致遠 is an ancient Chinese idiom that means “tranquility yields transcendence.”
This suggests pursuing a quiet life of profound study.
The first two characters mean tranquility. The last two characters mean “go far,” which suggests achieving much in your life or expanding beyond normal limits. The direct translation would read something like, “[With] tranquility [in your life, you'll] go far.”
Compare this to the English idiom: Still waters run deep.
(five-character version)
內心的寧靜 is the long way to express the idea of “peace of mind” in Chinese.
The first two characters mean heart or “innermost being.”
The middle character is a connecting modifier.
The last two characters mean peace, tranquility, or serenity.
Some may also translate this as “inner peace,” but I like our other inner-peace options for that idea.
This kind of makes sense in Korean but will have an archaic read - even by those who can understand Korean Hanja.
寧靜而致遠 is five characters from a longer ten-character proverb composed by Zhuge Liang about 1800 years ago.
诸葛亮 Zhuge Liang
The proverb means “Your inner peace/tranquility/serenity will help you see or reach far (into the world).”
The last word means “far” but the deeper meaning is that you will surpass what you can currently see or understand. Perhaps even opening up vast knowledge and understanding of complex ideas.
Give me liberty or give me death
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
Better to be broken jade than unbroken pottery
寧為玉碎不為瓦全 is the long version of a Chinese proverb that means “rather be shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery.”
A little more explanation:
Death is implied with the “broken” meaning. Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, and in this case, is compared with one's honor and self-worth. Pottery is just something you eat off of, it has no deep value, just as a person who has lost their honor, or had none to begin with.
Thus, this means “better to die with honor than to live in shame” or words to that effect.
寧為玉碎不為瓦全 is often translated in English as “Death Before Dishonor,” the famous military slogan.
I would also compare this to the English proverb, “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”
This is an idiom. It therefore doesn’t directly say exactly what it means. If you think about the English idiom, "The grass is always greener," it does not directly say "jealousy" or "envy" but everyone knows that it is implied.
淡泊以明志寧靜而致遠 is a kind of complex ten-character proverb composed by Zhuge Liang about 1800 years ago.
This is a Chinese proverb that means “Leading a simple life will yield a clear mind, and having inner peace will help you see far (into the world).”
What I have translated as “simple life” means NOT being materialistic and NOT competing in the rat race.
The last word means “far” but the deeper meaning is that you will surpass what you can currently see or understand. Perhaps even the idea of opening up vast knowledge and understanding of complex ideas.
The whole phrase has a theme that suggests if you are NOT an aggressive cut-throat person who fights his way to the top no matter how many people he crushes on the way, and instead seek inner peace, you will have a happier existence and be more likely to understand the meaning of life.
See Also: Serenity
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your ning search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
列寧 列宁 see styles |
liè níng lie4 ning2 lieh ning reenin れえにん |
More info & calligraphy: LeninLenin |
安寧 安宁 see styles |
ān níng an1 ning2 an ning annei / anne あんねい |
More info & calligraphy: Peaceful / Tranquil / Calm / Free From Worry(noun or adjectival noun) (public) peace; stability; tranquility; tranquillity; (surname) Annei |
寧靜 宁静 see styles |
níng jìng ning2 jing4 ning ching |
More info & calligraphy: Tranquil / Tranquility / Serenity |
貝寧 贝宁 see styles |
bèi níng bei4 ning2 pei ning |
More info & calligraphy: Benin |
勃朗寧 勃朗宁 see styles |
bó lǎng níng bo2 lang3 ning2 po lang ning |
More info & calligraphy: Browning |
佞 see styles |
nìng ning4 ning nei / ne ねい |
to flatter; flattery (archaism) flattery; insincerity flattery |
儜 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
weak; wearied; in distress |
凝 see styles |
níng ning2 ning tomoda ともだ |
to congeal; to concentrate attention; to stare (1) muscle stiffness (esp. in shoulders); (2) (med) (kana only) lump (in tissue, esp. breast); swelling; hardening; lesion; (3) (kana only) lingering discomfort; uneasiness; bad aftertaste; unpleasant feeling; muscle stiffness (esp. in shoulders); (personal name) Tomoda To congeal, consolidate, form. |
嚀 咛 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
to enjoin |
寕 宁 see styles |
nìng ning4 ning |
old variant of 寧|宁[ning4] |
寗 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
old variant of 甯|宁[ning2] |
寧 宁 see styles |
nìng ning4 ning yasushi やすし |
would rather; to prefer; how (emphatic); Taiwan pr. [ning2] (irregular okurigana usage) (adverb) (kana only) rather; better; instead; (given name) Yasushi Repose; settle; better than; rather; how? |
擰 拧 see styles |
nìng ning4 ning |
stubborn |
檸 柠 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
lemon |
濘 泞 see styles |
nìng ning4 ning |
muddy |
獰 狞 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
fierce-looking |
甯 宁 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
variant of 寧|宁[ning2] |
聹 聍 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
used in 耵聹|耵聍[ding1ning2] |
薴 苧 see styles |
níng ning2 ning |
(used as a bound form in 薴烯|苧烯[ning2 xi1], limonene); tangled; in disarray |
一寧 一宁 see styles |
yī níng yi1 ning2 i ning ichinei / ichine いちねい |
(personal name) Ichinei Yining, a monk who went to Japan in 1299; v. 一山. |
丁寧 丁宁 see styles |
dīng níng ding1 ning2 ting ning teinei / tene ていねい |
variant of 叮嚀|叮咛[ding1 ning2] (noun or adjectival noun) (1) polite; courteous; civil; (2) careful; close; thorough; conscientious |
不佞 see styles |
bù nìng bu4 ning4 pu ning |
without eloquence; untalented; I, me (humble) |
中寧 中宁 see styles |
zhōng níng zhong1 ning2 chung ning |
Zhongning county in Zhongwei 中衛|中卫[Zhong1 wei4], Ningxia |
丹寧 丹宁 see styles |
dān níng dan1 ning2 tan ning |
(loanword) denim; tannin |
伊寧 伊宁 see styles |
yī níng yi1 ning2 i ning koreyasu これやす |
Yining city and county or Ghulja nahiyisi in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture 伊犁哈薩克自治州|伊犁哈萨克自治州[Yi1 li2 Ha1 sa4 ke4 Zi4 zhi4 zhou1], Xinjiang (personal name) Koreyasu |
休寧 休宁 see styles |
xiū níng xiu1 ning2 hsiu ning |
Xiuning, a county in Huangshan 黃山|黄山[Huang2shan1], Anhui |
佞諂 佞谄 see styles |
nìng chǎn ning4 chan3 ning ch`an ning chan neiten |
to flatter |
冕寧 冕宁 see styles |
miǎn níng mian3 ning2 mien ning |
Mianning county in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture 涼山彞族自治州|凉山彝族自治州[Liang2 shan1 Yi2 zu2 zi4 zhi4 zhou1], south Sichuan |
凝住 see styles |
níng zhù ning2 zhu4 ning chu gyōjū |
firmly abide |
凝冰 see styles |
níng bīng ning2 bing1 ning ping |
to freeze |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Henning | 亨寧 亨宁 | hēng níng heng1 ning2 heng ning hengning | ||
Manning | 曼寧 曼宁 | màn níng / man4 ning2 / man ning / manning | ||
Channing | 錢寧 钱宁 | qián níng qian2 ning2 qian ning qianning | ch`ien ning chienning chien ning |
|
Jennings | 詹寧斯 詹宁斯 | zhān níng sī zhan1 ning2 si1 zhan ning si zhanningsi | chan ning ssu channingssu |
|
Browning | 勃朗寧 勃朗宁 | bó lǎng níng bo2 lang3 ning2 bo lang ning bolangning | po lang ning polangning |
|
Benin | 貝寧 贝宁 | bèi níng / bei4 ning2 / bei ning / beining | pei ning / peining | |
Jeanine | 杰寧 杰宁 | jié níng / jie2 ning2 / jie ning / jiening | chieh ning / chiehning | |
Jeannine | 杰寧 杰宁 | jié níng / jie2 ning2 / jie ning / jiening | chieh ning / chiehning | |
Lenin | 列寧 列宁 | liè níng / lie4 ning2 / lie ning / liening | lieh ning / liehning | |
Peaceful Tranquil Calm Free From Worry | 安寧 安宁 | an nei / annei | ān níng / an1 ning2 / an ning / anning | |
Tranquil Tranquility Serenity | 寧靜 宁静 | níng jìng ning2 jing4 ning jing ningjing | ning ching ningching |
|
Sonin | 索寧 索宁 | suǒ níng / suo3 ning2 / suo ning / suoning | so ning / soning | |
Sennin | 森寧 森宁 | sēn níng / sen1 ning2 / sen ning / senning | ||
Antonin | 安托寧 安托宁 | ān tuō níng an1 tuo1 ning2 an tuo ning antuoning | an t`o ning antoning an to ning |
|
Mekonnen | 梅康寧 梅康宁 | méi kāng níng mei2 kang1 ning2 mei kang ning meikangning | mei k`ang ning meikangning mei kang ning |
|
Ninrod | 寧羅德 宁罗德 | níng luó dé ning2 luo2 de2 ning luo de ningluode | ning lo te ninglote |
|
Nazanin | 納贊寧 纳赞宁 | nà zàn níng na4 zan4 ning2 na zan ning nazanning | na tsan ning natsanning |
|
Better to Choose Nothing, Rather than Make a Poor Choice | 寧缺毋濫 宁缺毋滥 | nìng quē wú làn ning4 que1 wu2 lan4 ning que wu lan ningquewulan | ning ch`üeh wu lan ningchüehwulan ning chüeh wu lan |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 寧為玉碎 宁为玉碎 | níng wéi yù suì ning2 wei2 yu4 sui4 ning wei yu sui ningweiyusui | ning wei yü sui ningweiyüsui |
|
Death Before Surrender | 寧死不屈 宁死不屈 | níng sǐ bù qū ning2 si3 bu4 qu1 ning si bu qu ningsibuqu | ning ssu pu ch`ü ningssupuchü ning ssu pu chü |
|
Death Before Surrender | 寧死不降 宁死不降 | nìng sǐ bù xiáng ning4 si3 bu4 xiang2 ning si bu xiang ningsibuxiang | ning ssu pu hsiang ningssupuhsiang |
|
Tranquility Yields Transcendence | 寧靜致遠 宁静致远 | níng jìng zhì yuǎn ning2 jing4 zhi4 yuan3 ning jing zhi yuan ningjingzhiyuan | ning ching chih yüan ningchingchihyüan |
|
Peace of Mind | 內心的寧靜 内心的宁静 | nèi xīn de níng jìng nei4 xin1 de ning2 jing4 nei xin de ning jing neixindeningjing | nei hsin te ning ching neihsinteningching |
|
Achieve Inner Peace; Find Deep Understanding | 寧靜而致遠 宁静而致远 | níng jìng ér zhì yuǎn ning2 jing4 er2 zhi4 yuan3 ning jing er zhi yuan ningjingerzhiyuan | ning ching erh chih yüan ningchingerhchihyüan |
|
Live Free or Die | 不自由毋寧死 不自由毋宁死 | bú zì yóu wú nìng sǐ bu2 zi4 you2 wu2 ning4 si3 bu zi you wu ning si buziyouwuningsi | pu tzu yu wu ning ssu putzuyuwuningssu |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 寧為玉碎不為瓦全 宁为玉碎不为瓦全 | níng wéi yù suì bù wéi wǎ quán ning2 wei2 yu4 sui4 bu4 wei2 wa3 quan2 ning wei yu sui bu wei wa quan ningweiyusuibuweiwaquan | ning wei yü sui pu wei wa ch`üan ning wei yü sui pu wei wa chüan |
|
A Life of Serenity Yields Understanding | 淡泊以明志寧靜而致遠 淡泊以明志宁静而致远 | dàn bó yǐ míng zhì, níng jìng ér zhì yuǎn dan4 bo2 yi3 ming2 zhi4, ning2 jing4 er2 zhi4 yuan3 dan bo yi ming zhi, ning jing er zhi yuan | tan po i ming chih, ning ching erh chih yüan | |
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. |
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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 Ning Kanji, Ning Characters, Ning in Mandarin Chinese, Ning Characters, Ning in Chinese Writing, Ning in Japanese Writing, Ning in Asian Writing, Ning Ideograms, Chinese Ning symbols, Ning Hieroglyphics, Ning Glyphs, Ning in Chinese Letters, Ning Hanzi, Ning in Japanese Kanji, Ning Pictograms, Ning in the Chinese Written-Language, or Ning in the Japanese Written-Language.