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無 is the simple way to express “nothing.”
However, this single character leaves a bit of mystery as to what you might really mean if you hang it as a wall scroll. I'm not saying that's a bad thing; as you can decide what it means to you, and you won't be wrong if you stay within the general context.
More info: 無 is usually used as a suffix or prefix for Chinese and Japanese words (also old Korean). It can be compared to “un-” or “-less” in English. It can also mean “not to have,” no, none, not, “to lack,” or nothingness.
虛空 means empty space, empty sky, or void.
In the Buddhist context, it can mean “emptiness of the material world.” This can also be used as an adjective to modify other words with a meaning of unreal or insubstantial.
空無 is “nothingness” in a Buddhist context.
The first character means empty but can also mean air or sky (air and sky have no form).
The second character means have not, no, none, not, or to lack.
Together these characters reinforce each other into a word that means “absolute nothingness.”
I know this is a term used in Buddhism, but I have not yet figured out the context in which it is used. I suppose it can be the fact that Buddhists believe that the world is a non-real illusion, or perhaps it's about visualizing yourself as “nothing” and therefore leaving behind your desire and worldliness.
Buddhist concepts and titles often have this element of ambiguity or, rather, “mystery.” Therefore, such ideas can have different meanings to different people, and that's okay. If you don't get it right in this lifetime, there will be plenty more lifetimes to master it (whatever “it” is, and if “it” really exists at all).
Soothill defines this as “Unreality, or immateriality, of things, which is defined as nothing existing of independent or self-contained nature.”
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your nothing search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
Variations: |
hoka ほか |
(1) another place; some other place; somewhere else; outside; (noun - becomes adjective with の) (2) another (person or thing); other; different; something else; someone else; the rest; et al.; (noun - becomes adjective with の) (3) (kana only) (esp. 外) (See 思いのほか) beyond (one's expectations, imagination, etc.); outside; (4) (kana only) (as ...ほかに...ない, ...するほかない, etc.) (nothing) except; (nothing) but; (nothing) other than; (nothing to do) but; (n,adv) (5) (as ...のほか(に), ...するほか(に)etc.) besides ...; in addition to ...; on top of ... |
Variations: |
igainonanimonodemonai いがいのなにものでもない |
(expression) (after a noun) nothing but; nothing more than; nothing less than |
沒有甚麼不可能 没有什么不可能 see styles |
méi yǒu shén me bù kě néng mei2 you3 shen2 me5 bu4 ke3 neng2 mei yu shen me pu k`o neng mei yu shen me pu ko neng |
More info & calligraphy: Nothing is Impossible |
虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず see styles |
koketsuniirazunbakojioezu / koketsunirazunbakojioezu こけつにいらずんばこじをえず koketsuniirazunbakoshioezu / koketsunirazunbakoshioezu こけつにいらずんばこしをえず |
More info & calligraphy: How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the lair of the tiger? |
許 许 see styles |
xǔ xu3 hsü hoo ほお |
to allow; to permit; to promise; to praise; somewhat; perhaps (adverb) under (esp. influence or guidance); (particle) (1) (kana only) only; merely; nothing but; no more than; (2) (kana only) approximately; about; (3) (kana only) just (finished, etc.); (4) (kana only) as if to; (as though) about to; (5) (kana only) indicates emphasis; (6) (kana only) always; constantly; (particle) (1) (kana only) (colloquialism) approximately; about; (2) only; nothing but; (3) just (finished, etc.); (surname) Hoo Grant, permit, admit, promise; very. |
二邊 二边 see styles |
èr biān er4 bian1 erh pien nihen |
(a) 有邊 That things exist; (6) 無邊 that since nothing is self-existent, things cannot be said to exist. (2) (a) 增益邊 The plus side, the common belief in a soul and permanence; (b) 損減邊 the minus side, that nothing exists even of karma. (3) (a) 斷邊見 and (b) 常邊見 annihilation and immortality; v. 見. |
何も see styles |
nanimo なにも |
(expression) (1) (with neg. verb) (not) anything; (nothing) at all; (not) any; nothing; (expression) (2) (as ...も何も) and everything else; and all; (expression) (3) (as ...なくてもいい, ...ことはない, etc.) (not) at all; (not) in the least; (not) especially; (not) to that extent |
何ら see styles |
nanra なんら nanira なにら |
(adv,n) (1) whatever; what; what sort of; any kind of; (2) nothing whatever (with neg. verb); (out-dated or obsolete kana usage) (adv,n) (1) whatever; what; what sort of; any kind of; (2) nothing whatever (with neg. verb) |
唯識 唯识 see styles |
wéi shì wei2 shi4 wei shih yuishiki ゆいしき |
{Buddh} vijnapti-matrata (theory that all existence is subjective and nothing exists outside of the mind) vijñānamatra(vada) cittamatra. Idealism, the doctrine that nothing exists apart from mind, 識外無法. |
沒事 没事 see styles |
méi shì mei2 shi4 mei shih |
it's not important; it's nothing; never mind; to have nothing to do; to be free; to be all right (out of danger or trouble) |
無非 无非 see styles |
wú fēi wu2 fei1 wu fei mu hi |
only; nothing else nothing but |
空空 see styles |
kōng kōng kong1 kong1 k`ung k`ung kung kung kūkū くうくう |
empty; vacuous; nothing; vacant; in vain; all for nothing; air-to-air (missile) (noun or adjectival noun) empty; vacant; void Unreality of unreality. When all has been regarded as illusion, or unreal, the abstract idea of unreality itself must be destroyed. |
縁起 see styles |
engi(p); inen(ok) えんぎ(P); いんえん(ok) |
(1) omen; sign of luck; (2) origin; history; causation; (3) (abbreviation) {Buddh} (orig. meaning) (See 因縁生起) dependent arising; doctrine that everything has a cause and there is nothing that arises out of nothing |
隣虛 隣虚 see styles |
lín xū lin2 xu1 lin hsü rinko |
Next to nothing, the minutest particle, an atom. |
七種捨 七种舍 see styles |
qī zhǒng shě qi1 zhong3 she3 ch`i chung she chi chung she shichishu sha |
Seven abandonments or riddances―cherishing none and nothing, no relations with others, riddance of love and hate, of anxiety about the salvation of others, of form, giving to others (e.g. supererogation), benefiting others without hope of return. Another form is―cherishing nothing, riddance of love and hate, of desire, anger, etc., of anxiety about, etc., as above. |
三不知 see styles |
sān bù zhī san1 bu4 zhi1 san pu chih |
to know nothing about the beginning, the middle or the end; to know nothing at all |
沒什麼 没什么 see styles |
méi shén me mei2 shen2 me5 mei shen me |
it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind; think nothing of it; it's my pleasure; you're welcome |
沒有事 没有事 see styles |
méi yǒu shì mei2 you3 shi4 mei yu shih |
not a bit; nothing is up; nothing alarming is happening |
沒甚麼 see styles |
méi shén me mei2 shen2 me5 mei shen me |
nothing; it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind |
沒說的 没说的 see styles |
méi shuō de mei2 shuo1 de5 mei shuo te |
nothing to pick on; really good; nothing to discuss; settled matter; no problem |
無所得 无所得 see styles |
wú suǒ dé wu2 suo3 de2 wu so te mushotoku むしょとく |
(noun - becomes adjective with の) (1) having no income; (2) {Buddh} state of nonattachment; lack of attachment; not seeking anything Nowhere, or nothing obtainable, the immaterial universal reality behind all phenomena. |
空騒ぎ see styles |
karasawagi からさわぎ |
(noun/participle) (1) making a fuss; (2) Much Ado about Nothing (Shakespeare); (wk) Much Ado about Nothing (Shakespeare) |
から騒ぎ see styles |
karasawagi からさわぎ |
(noun/participle) (1) making a fuss; (2) Much Ado about Nothing (Shakespeare); (wk) Much Ado about Nothing (Shakespeare) |
しか無い see styles |
shikanai しかない |
(exp,adj-i) (1) (kana only) (after a verb) having no choice but to ...; all one can do is ...; there's nothing to do except ...; (exp,adj-i) (2) (kana only) (after a noun or counter) having nothing but ...; there is only ...; having only ...; having no more than ... |
不增不減 不增不减 see styles |
bù zēng bù jiǎn bu4 zeng1 bu4 jian3 pu tseng pu chien fuzō fugen |
Neither adding nor subtracting; nothing can be added or taken away. In referenc to the absolute 實相之空理 nothing can be added or taken away; vice versa with the relative. |
不怎麼樣 不怎么样 see styles |
bù zěn me yàng bu4 zen3 me5 yang4 pu tsen me yang |
not up to much; very indifferent; nothing great about it; nothing good to be said about it |
不生不滅 不生不灭 see styles |
bù shēng bù miè bu4 sheng1 bu4 mie4 pu sheng pu mieh fushoufumetsu / fushofumetsu ふしょうふめつ |
{Buddh} (See 生滅) neither arising nor ceasing v. 不滅 'Neither (to be) born nor ended' is another term for 常住 permanent, eternal; nothing having been created nothing can be destroyed; Hīnayāna limits the meaning to the state of nirvana, no more births and deaths; Mahāyāna in its Mādhyamika form extends it universally, no birth and death, no creation and annihilation, see 中論. |
何ちゅう see styles |
nanchuu / nanchu なんちゅう |
(expression) (1) (colloquialism) (See 何という・1) how (beautiful, etc.); what a ...; (expression) (2) (colloquialism) (See 何という・2) nothing worth mentioning; nothing special; (expression) (3) (colloquialism) (See 何という・3) of what name |
俯仰天地 see styles |
fugyoutenchi / fugyotenchi ふぎょうてんち |
(yoji) looking up and down, from heaven to earth (having nothing to be ashamed of); swearing by Heaven and Earth (having done nothing to be ashamed of) |
因縁生起 see styles |
innenseiki / innenseki いんねんせいき |
{Buddh} dependent arising; doctrine that everything has a cause and there is nothing that arises out of nothing |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Nothing Nothingness | 無 无 | mu | wú / wu2 / wu | |
Nothingness Empty Void | 虛空 虚空 | kokuu / koku | xū kōng / xu1 kong1 / xu kong / xukong | hsü k`ung / hsükung / hsü kung |
Nothingness | 空無 空无 | kuu mu / kuumu / ku mu | kōng wú / kong1 wu2 / kong wu / kongwu | k`ung wu / kungwu / kung wu |
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.
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