The name Will-Power Self-Control in Chinese / Japanese...

紀律 is a Chinese and Korean word that conveys the idea of extreme self-control and perhaps self-sacrifice, and obedience.

This word matches the kind of “discipline” I was in the Marine Corps. There is also an additional idea of maintaining order or being orderly in your tasks.

This idea would also fit an athlete training for the Olympics who gives up many pleasures to stay focused on their training.

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規律 is a Japanese word for discipline that relays the ideas of keeping order, and observance (of rules, laws, regulations).

This is also a word in Chinese and old Korean Hanja where it suggests that you are one who follows a certain law of behavior or has a regular and dependable pattern of behavior, personal regime, or rhythm.

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磨鍊 is a form of discipline which suggests training of the mind and character, aimed at producing self-control, obedience, etc.

One of my Chinese-English dictionaries even translates this as “tempering oneself” or turning yourself into hardened steel.

In old Korean Hanja, they use these characters in reverse order but with the same meaning. If you want the Korean version, please click this link instead of the button above: Korean version.

鍛練 is the Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja word used for discipline.

This has a meaning like “forging or creating something from lots of training and practice.” My Japanese dictionary translates this as “tempering, forging, hardening, disciplining, training.”

This is for Japanese and Korean only. In Chinese, these characters might be translated as (physical) “exercise.”

The modern form of the second Japanese Kanji looks like the first image to the right. There’s also an alternate modern form after that, and finally, an alternate traditional form. Because calligraphy is an art, the calligrapher could choose any of these possible forms. Let us know if you have a preference.

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The short and sweet version of self-control.

Note: This can also mean self-restraint.

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自己抑制 has a meaning like “to restrain oneself” in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.

The first two characters mean “regarding oneself,” and the second two mean “to refrain” or “to restrain.”

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自律 means self-discipline and self-control.

It is doing what you really want to do rather than being tossed around by your feelings like a leaf in the wind. You act instead of reacting. You get things done in an orderly and efficient way. With self-discipline, you take charge of yourself.

Not sure if this one works for a Japanese audience.

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When reading an account of some battles in China, I came across the Chinese word, 嚴整. As it turns out, 嚴整 is only used in military circles to describe neat, orderly, and well-disciplined troops. Perhaps this is actually closer to the meaning I was taught while in the U.S. Marines.

The first character literally means stern, serious, strict, or severe (it can also mean airtight or watertight.
The second character means exact, in good order, whole, complete, and orderly.
Together, these two characters multiply each other into a word that expresses the highest military level of discipline.

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意志力 is a form of willpower or self-control and is about having the determination or tenacity to keep going.

In Japanese, this is the power of will, the strength of will, volition, intention, intent, or determination.