kanji

Yojijukugo is a Japanese idiom consisted of four kanji. Many are based on the ideas of Chinese traditions or classical texts.

In other words, you can also say that yojijukugo is a piece of art, of building up four kanji with individual meanings into one phrase with one meaning. As compared to the number of characters the information they carry is so much bigger, and because it can help smoothening communication between people who know the word yojijukugo is often used for promo words. There are even some new yojijukugo invented by copywriters.

I sometimes see non-Japanese people with yojijukugo tatoos, but there are some that makes me wonder if they really know the meaning.
So here, I will introduce you some yojijukugo that have good meanings and good appearance.

[perfect composure]

Taizen-Jijaku

"tai"=calm, peaceful
"zen"=to be; a kanji that expresses the state of the previous kanji
(in this case, “to be calm and peaceful”)
"ji"=self, at will, with freedom "jaku"=young, some

”Taizen” means to be calm and settled, and “jijaku” also means to be calm, or not to panic the slightest bit when something happens or facing a situation.
All together, the idiom means to be calm at all times.

[to confer/ to be conferred full mastership]

Menkyo-Kaiden

"men"=to allow, to forgive, to listen to "kyo"=to allow, to forgive
"kai"=all, every "den"=to confer, to give

”Menkyo” is an independent word that means license, which a limited authority gives permission to limited people to do something that is otherwise generally forbidden. In our daily lives there are the driver’s license, teacher’s license and so on. In the world of art, it denotes the conferring of a special/ultimate skill or technique from a master to a disciple, and also the certificate.
”Kaiden” means the master/mistress handing down all of the esoteria to the disciple,
and is most often used in arts including martial arts (budo) and performing arts such as dancing and play. Thus this is an idiom with two similar words combined.

[challenge again with more strength]

Kendo-Chourai

"ken"=to make round "do"=ground, soil "chou"=in layers, again "rai"=to come

”Kendo” describes a situation in which something is so powerful and full of force that it kicks up a thick cloud of dust, and “chourai” means to come again. This idiom usually explains a once-defeated figure/side coming back for revenge with so much more power than before.
A stunning comeback.

[cut the Gordian knot]

Kaitou-Ranma

"kai"=brisk, balmy "tou"=sword "ran"=chaos, chaotic, out of place, disturbed "ma"=hemp

By “brisk sword”, “kaito” means a sharp sword that cuts well, and “ranma” is a tangled hemp thread or rope. Together “kaito-ranma” means to cut clean a tangled hemp thread, in other words, to solve a chaotic situation or sort sophisticated matters out amazingly well.

[desires to live with high status]

Seiun-no-Kokorozashi

"sei"=blue "un"=cloud "no"=of (conjunction) "kokorozashi"=will, ambition, aspiration

”Seiun” literally describes clouds of blue, namely a clear blue sky, but is used here to point to a very high status in the society or in academia leading a completely secularized, asocial life. By connecting the word “ambition” with it, it means to have a desire to achieve something in order to live a “high” life. It can also mean to avoid the real world.

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I'd like to continue introducing you yojijukugo with good meanings and cool appearance.
Or if you have any questions, like, "what does my tatoo really mean?", don't hesitate to give us an e-mail :-)

Of course, we still welcome those who want to have their names converted in kanji. Just e-mail to samurai@jmode.co.jp