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Personalize your custom “Skilled” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Skilled” title below...
1. Skill Acquired Through Hard Training
3. Benevolent and Skilled Doctor
4. Even Monkeys Fall From Trees
7. Kenzo
9. Martial Arts
13. Sensei / Master / Teacher / Mister
19. Tsuyoi
20. Tai Jutsu
醫道 means the art of healing or medical skill.
This can also refer to a Korean TV show, Hur Jun about an ancient doctor. The Chinese-subtitled version of the show is also quite popular in China.
While this is a common title in Chinese and Korean, it's not used as often in Japanese where someone might read it as “medical course” or “the way of medicine.”
妙手仁心悬壶济世 is a phrase that celebrates the benevolence, skill, and service to his/her patients.
Here's a breakdown of the characters:
妙手 miào shǒu admirable skill in curing disease (when used in reference to doctors).
仁心 rén xīn kindheartedness, charity, benevolent heart.
悬壶济世 xuán hú jì shì practice medicine or pharmacy to help the people or the public.
Short version
Meaning: Anyone can make a mistake
猿も木から落ちる is the Japanese proverb, “Even monkeys fall from trees.”
It suggests that even the most skilled, can make a mistake in something they should be a master of. Or, to put it simply, “Anyone can make a mistake.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
妙手回春 can be translated as “healing hands.”
The first two characters are used to describe a doctor or medical professional who has admirable skills in curing disease. Literally: Wonderful or skilled hands.
The last two characters mean “Springing back to life.”
Altogether, it suggests that these skilled hands can cure whatever ails you and bring you back to life. 妙手回春 is a great honor to bestow on your doctor or other healthcare professionals that have helped you.
These two characters mean intelligence or intelligent.
The first character means wisdom, intellect, or knowledge.
The second means ability, talent, skill, capacity, capable, able, and can even mean competent.
Together, 知能 can mean “capacity for wisdom,” “useful knowledge,” or even “mental power.” Obviously, this translates more clearly into English as “intelligence.”
Note: This is not the same word used to mean “military intelligence.” See our other entry for that.
In modern Japan, they tend to use a version of the first character without the bottom radical. If your audience for this artwork is Japanese, please click on the Kanji to the right instead of the button above.
功夫 or Kung Fu is one of the most famous types of martial arts in the world - and not just because of Bruce Lee.
Some translate the meaning as “Accomplishment by Great Effort.” I think this is partially true, but directly translated, it literally means “Merit/Achievement/Accomplishment Man.” The word “fu” can sometimes mean “husband” or “porter,” but in this case, it can only mean “man.” However, few in China will think “man” when they hear the word “Gong Fu” spoken.
This term is also used for things other than martial arts. In fact, it's used to refer to a person with excellent skills in crafts that require a lot of effort to master, such as cooking, tea ceremonies, and calligraphy.
What a lot of people don't know is that the spelling of “Kung Fu” was actually taken from the old Wade Giles form of Romanization. Using this method, the sounds of the English “G” and “K” were both written as “K” and an apostrophe after the “K” told you it was supposed to sound like a “G.” Nobody in the west knew this rule, so most people pronounce it with a “K-sound.” And so, Gong Fu will always be Kung Fu for most westerners.
Also, just to educate you a little more, the “O” in “Gong” has a sound like the English word “oh.”
The popular Chinese dish “Kung Pao Chicken” suffers from the same problem. It should actually be “Gong Bao Chicken.”
Historical note: Many will claim that Kung Fu was invented by the monks of the Shaolin monastery. This fact is argued in both directions by scholars of Chinese history. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the Shaolin Monks brought the original fame to Kung Fu many generations ago.
Japanese note: While most Japanese martial artists will recognize these characters, Katakana is more often used to approximate the pronunciation of "Kung Fu" with "カンフー." Some will argue as to whether this should be considered a Japanese word at all.
See Also: Bruce Lee
武藝 is a Korean Hanja title that means “martial arts” or “military skill.”
武藝 is also a word in Chinese but used more often in the context of Korean martial arts.
From Korean, this is romanized as either “mu ye” or “moo ye.”
If you want to order this in modern Korean Hangul, just click the Hangul characters in the pronunciation box next to the Korean flag above.
武芸者 is the Japanese Kanji title for “Martial Arts Master.” It suggests that you have reached at least the level of black belt and are probably to the level where you are ready to become an instructor.
Please consider carefully where you stand before ordering this phrase on a wall scroll. If you are not a master, this will make you look a bit foolish.
If you want to get this as a gift for your master at the dojo. Try to discreetly make sure this term is used in your school. Different schools and styles of Japanese martial arts use different terms. You may notice in the Romaji that the last two characters romanize as “geisha” which means “person skilled in arts” (what a geisha girl really is). The title here has the character for “martial,” “warrior,” and/or “military” in front of it. Therefore the literal translation is “martial art person.”
These Kanji are valid Chinese characters and Korean Hanja, but this title does not really make sense in Chinese and is not often used in Korean, though a Chinese or Korean would be able to guess the meaning by looking at the first and last characters.
Secondary version of Sifu
師傅 is “sifu” as in the “master” in the context of martial arts.
But two sifu titles are floating around. This one can simply mean “skilled worker.”
Historically, this term has been used for many things, such as “The tutor of a king or emperor.” But now it's more commonly used to mean master worker or qualified worker.
Currently, within the field of skilled labor, a master (Shifu) is higher than a journeyman and is considered to be one worthy of teaching others.
Note: In the 1970s and 1980s, this term was used as a common form of polite address between people. You might say, “master, do you know where Tian'anmen Square is?” to a person on the street at that time. This usage has almost passed; however, for some reason, people still often refer to taxi cab drivers as “master” in China (though I think/hope this is fading).
In Mandarin Chinese, this is pronounced like “Sure Foo,” and in Cantonese, like “See Foo.”
The second character is the difference between this sifu and the other. In this case, the second character by itself means tutor, instructor, or teacher.
先生 is sensei, which is associated in the west with a master or instructor of karate, aikido, judo, and other Japanese martial arts.
In reality, this is a term of respect for almost any professional or skilled person (doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.). Sometimes, it is used for musicians and artists who have achieved a certain level of fame, skill, or accomplishment.
It should be noted that this is also a courtesy title in Chinese but more like calling someone “mister” or “gentleman.” It doesn't have the “master” or “teacher” meaning in Chinese - see our Chinese “Master / Sifu / Shi Fu” entry if your audience is Chinese.
In Korean Hanja, this means teacher, instructor, schoolmaster, or schoolmistress.
This entry is for educational purposes. 先生 is kind of a strange thing to put on a wall scroll. It's a title that is used more orally to show respect rather than something written in calligraphy. If you feel it is appropriate in your circumstances, we will create a piece of sensei Japanese calligraphy artwork for you.
練 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean word that is the simplest way to say practice, train, drill, exercise, or to describe the effort taken to perfect one's skill.
心技体 is the Japanese title “shin gi tai” or “shingitai.”
This can refer to the three elements of Sumo wrestlers or martial artists, “heart-technique-physique.”
Here is what each character represents:
心 (shin) mind, heart, and spirit.
技 (gi) skill, knowledge, and experience.
体 (tai) body and physical effort.
心技体 have the same meanings in Chinese, though this title is used much more often in Japanese.
Skills cannot be perfected without perseverance in practice
不怕练不成就怕心不恒 literally translates as: Do not worry about not being able to master [a skill]; What [one should] be concerned about is lack of perseverance.
Figuratively, this means: One's skills cannot be perfected without perseverance in practice.
For me, I've learned that you can only get so much from school or studying. You've really got to do “on-the-job training” to perfect your ability and skill.
For martial arts students: You can read about a kick in a book, or someone can tell you about a certain kick but until you practice the kick, there's no way you'll master it.
五祖拳 is a martial arts concept (or school) known as Five Ancestors' Fist.
The first character means five.
The second means ancestor, forefather, or grandparents.
The third means fist.
The ancestors referred to by this title and whose attributes contribute to this style are as follows:
1. Grace of the White Crane.
2. Agility of the Monkey.
3. Precision and skill of Emperor Taizu (great mythical ancestor).
4. Power of Luohan (Buddhist arhat).
5. Breath of Damo (founder of Buddhism, or the first Buddha).
体術 is the martial arts term Tai Jutsu in Japanese Kanji.
Taijutsu is a general term referring to virtually all Japanese martial arts styles that involve the use of the body (perhaps not weapons). The literal meaning of 体術 is “body technique” or “body skill.”
I included the Chinese pronunciation, but this is rarely used in Chinese.
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Skill Acquired Through Hard Training | 練功 练功 | renkou / renko | liàn gōng lian4 gong1 lian gong liangong | lien kung lienkung |
Art of Healing | 醫道 医道 | idou / ido | yī dào / yi1 dao4 / yi dao / yidao | i tao / itao |
Benevolent and Skilled Doctor | 妙手仁心懸壺濟世 妙手仁心悬壶济世 | miào shǒu rén xīn xuán hú jì shì miao4 shou3 ren2 xin1 xuan2 hu2 ji4 shi4 miao shou ren xin xuan hu ji shi | miao shou jen hsin hsüan hu chi shih | |
Benevolent and Skilled Doctor | 妙手仁心 | miào shǒu rén xīn miao4 shou3 ren2 xin1 miao shou ren xin miaoshourenxin | miao shou jen hsin miaoshoujenhsin |
|
Even Monkeys Fall From Trees | 猿も木から落ちる | saru mo ki kara ochiru sarumokikaraochiru | ||
Healing Hands | 妙手回春 | miào shǒu huí chūn miao4 shou3 hui2 chun1 miao shou hui chun miaoshouhuichun | miao shou hui ch`un miaoshouhuichun miao shou hui chun |
|
Intelligence Intellect | 智能 / 知能 智能 | chinou / chino | zhì néng / zhi4 neng2 / zhi neng / zhineng | chih neng / chihneng |
Kenzo | 建造 | kenzou / kenzo | jiàn zào / jian4 zao4 / jian zao / jianzao | chien tsao / chientsao |
Kung Fu Gong Fu | 功夫 | kan fu / ku fu kanfu / kufu | gōng fu / gong1 fu / gong fu / gongfu | kung fu / kungfu |
Martial Arts | 武藝 武艺 | wǔ yì / wu3 yi4 / wu yi / wuyi | wu i / wui | |
Martial Arts Master | 武芸者 | bugeisha | wǔ yún zhě wu3 yun2 zhe3 wu yun zhe wuyunzhe | wu yün che wuyünche |
Master Skilled Worker | 師傅 师傅 | shī fu / shi1 fu / shi fu / shifu | shih fu / shihfu | |
Military Engineering | 工兵 | kouhei / kohei | gōng bīng gong1 bing1 gong bing gongbing | kung ping kungping |
Sensei Master Teacher Mister | 先生 | sen sei / sensei | xiān shēng xian1 sheng1 xian sheng xiansheng | hsien sheng hsiensheng |
Practice Train Drill | 練 练 | ren | liàn / lian4 / lian | lien |
Shingitai Shin Gi Tai | 心技体 | shin gi tai shingitai | xīn jì tǐ xin1 ji4 ti3 xin ji ti xinjiti | hsin chi t`i hsinchiti hsin chi ti |
Perseverance is the Key | 不怕練不成就怕心不恆 不怕练不成就怕心不恒 | bú pà liàn bù chéng jiù pà xīn bù héng bu2 pa4 lian4 bu4 cheng2 jiu4 pa4 xin1 bu4 heng2 bu pa lian bu cheng jiu pa xin bu heng | pu p`a lien pu ch`eng chiu p`a hsin pu heng pu pa lien pu cheng chiu pa hsin pu heng |
|
Wing Chun Kung Fu | 詠春功夫 咏春功夫 | yǒng chūn gōng fu yong3 chun1 gong1 fu yong chun gong fu yongchungongfu | yung ch`un kung fu yungchunkungfu yung chun kung fu |
|
Five Ancestors Fist | 五祖拳 | wǔ zǔ quán wu3 zu3 quan2 wu zu quan wuzuquan | wu tsu ch`üan wutsuchüan wu tsu chüan |
|
Tsuyoi | 強い | tsuyoi | ||
Tai Jutsu | 體術 体術 | tai jutsu / taijutsu | tǐ shù / / | |
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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