What's new

How to choose the right kanji for a word?

leo78ve

後輩
6 Apr 2015
7
0
11
Hello,

I need some guidance in kanji language, I've been looking for the right kanji for these three words:

- strength
- trust (confidence)
- happiness

I think I got the right ones but I'm confused because sometimes I see a combination of two kanji symbols and sometimes just one symbol, for example:

I have seen the word "Happiness" only as 幸 and in others as a combination of 幸福.
For the word "Trust (Confidence)" I've seen it as 信 and sometimes a combination of 信頼

So I would like somebody who can help me with an explanation and choosing the right ones.

Thanks a lot
 
Generally, a single kanji has multiple meanings, and kanji compound limits the meaning. 幸 and 信 can mean happiness and trust respectively just by themselves, though.
 
Thanks a lot Toritoribe.
So, in these cases do you know the different of the examples I put in here?
Regards!
 
Part of.

What I understand is for example I want to be very specific on the word "happiness" I must use 幸福 but if I want let the meaning open to other adjectives besides happiness, such as happiness, good fortune, good luck, blessing, happy, lucky, fortunate, natural products I should use 幸 instead, same thing for "trust".

Am I right?
 
Part of.

What I understand is for example I want to be very specific on the word "happiness" I must use 幸福 but if I want let the meaning open to other adjectives besides happiness, such as happiness, good fortune, good luck, blessing, happy, lucky, fortunate, natural products I should use 幸 instead, same thing for "trust".

Am I right?
Not really. Both 幸福 and 幸 mean "happiness", and you should use 幸 for good fortune, good luck, blessing or lucky, for instance.

幸 and 信 can mean happiness and trust respectively just by themselves
 
I never thought it was not well seen to get a kanji tattoo on people who don't know the language and less that it will generate so much nagging for subject matter experts.

The reason I chose kanji for a tattoo was because I have read a little about it and I like Japanese culture and for me it's a good way to express a feeling, idea, etc using a short symbol.
 
I never thought it was not well seen to get a kanji tattoo on people who don't know the language and less that it will generate so much nagging for subject matter experts.

The reason I chose kanji for a tattoo was because I have read a little about it and I like Japanese culture and for me it's a good way to express a feeling, idea, etc using a short symbol.

You're still free to do whatever you want to.

What would your impressions be if you met a Japanese person with some Spanish words tattooed on his body and, when you asked him why, he said it is because he likes 7-11 burritos?
 
I'd feel proud to see other cultures interested in mine culture, no matter the reason is. I don't see why it has to be a kind of insult to SMEs and less understand why non-native people get mad about it. This is really a ridiculousness.

Btw: I'm not Mexican, Mexico is not the only country where Spanish is spoken.

Regards!
 
I'd feel proud to see other cultures interested in mine culture, no matter the reason is. I don't see why it has to be a kind of insult to SMEs and less understand why non-native people get mad about it. This is really a ridiculousness.

Btw: I'm not Mexican, Mexico is not the only country where Spanish is spoken.

Regards!

It isn't that we're mad about it; it is that we can't even begin to understand why anyone with no connection to Japan or the slightest knowledge of the language would want a kanji tattoo. 99% of the people want one simply because they are trendy, yet lack the honesty to admit it, instead contriving some incredibly thin excuse.

It is because we live our lives surrounded by kanji to the point that:

1. We can read it and it becomes just the script that is used to write all the mundane things one sees written everywhere in daily life

2. We can't read it and we hate and resent it's very existence.

Either way, we cease seeing kanji as some kewl , mysterious, exotic Asian script. And that takes the appeal out of having it tattooed on our bodies.

Also, kanji tattoos done by artists who didn't grow up learning kanji from elementary school usually fall into two categories:

1. Computer-generated stencils that make it look like your tattoo was done with an ink jet printer. These are funny!

2. Unbalanced, ill-proportioned, misshapen grotesqueries which are more properly mockeries of kanji, often with missing parts, extra parts, and may in whole or in part be mirrored, rotated, upside-down, indecipherable, unrecognizable, or just plain wrong. These look just fine to the people who got them, but they make us laugh until our ribs hurt.

You can't expect people who approach the same topic from diametrically opposite positions to view it the same way, and I have tried to explain the other side of it for you. The whole purpose of the other thread was to save us the time and aggravation of having to rehash anew this (for us) very tired and worn-out topic every time we get a new member who joins us for the sole purpose of having us do a tattoo translation for them and then promptly disappears, not even bothering to share with us a photo of the tattoo. But since you have an interest in Japanese culture strong enough to inspire you to permanently mark your body with words you don't know in a script you can't read, I'm sure you'll be hanging around the forum to discuss Japanese culture with us.

Mexico isn't the only country where burritos are eaten.[/i]
 
It is because we live our lives surrounded by kanji to the point that:

1. We can read it and it becomes just the script that is used to write all the mundane things one sees written everywhere in daily life

2. We can't read it and we hate and resent it's very existence.

Don't forget the third group: Those of us who are just waiting for the person who wants phrases we can handle, such as "I want to eat fish." Or "I really like cats!"

I'm there for the cat loving fish eaters, but I can't help the people who want "I have the soul of a cat loving fish eater."
 
If you going for a tattoo. Be wary of God 神 as I have seen it tattooed as two characters. ネ申… these have no meaning written on their own...
 
私の魂が魚を食べると猫が好きいの魂です。
That doesn't make sense, I'm afraid.

If you going for a tattoo. Be wary of God 神 as I have seen it tattooed as two characters. ネ申… these have no meaning written on their own...
ネ申 is actually used as a slang to represent 神. Don't you know a TV program ネ申[ねもうす]テレビ, for instance?
 
That doesn't make sense, I'm afraid.


ネ申 is actually used as a slang to represent 神. Don't you know a TV program ネ申[ねもうす]テレビ, for instance?

The original sentence doesn't make sense in English either.

And I have not seen that tv program. However I am willing to bet the guy at my college didn't know about that tv program either.

But all fair points.
 
The original sentence doesn't make sense in English either.
Certainly it did. The fact that you were able to understand the sentence well enough to (attempt) to translate it shows that it is a perfectly valid English sentence which expresses a concept... Granted, silly.
 
The original sentence doesn't make sense in English either.

But the syntax is correct and the meaning is understandable. Your translation contains errors in syntax which make it nonsense.

For example, と after a verb is not "and" as it is after a noun. It is something entirely different which doesn't belong there at all and changes the meaning to something entirely different. 好きい is just plain old-fashioned wrong and demonstrates an inadequate grasp of adjectives. Even had you gotten that right, the following の is also wrong (should have been な).

You might want to go back and carefully review whatever materials you learned adjectives from, as you seem to have trouble with both types.
 
But the syntax is correct and the meaning is understandable. Your translation contains errors in syntax which make it nonsense.

For example, と after a verb is not "and" as it is after a noun. It is something entirely different which doesn't belong there at all and changes the meaning to something entirely different. 好きい is just plain old-fashioned wrong and demonstrates an inadequate grasp of adjectives. Even had you gotten that right, the following の is also wrong (should have been な).

You might want to go back and carefully review whatever materials you learned adjectives from, as you seem to have trouble with both types.

Don't have any materials to review. Just asked my GF, or any of my friends, all of which are Japanese. They seemed to understand what I said. My other half did giggle, but got what I meant.

But the part about "の" 魚が好きいの魂... You are right. Probably should have been an な...
 
Don't have any materials to review. Just asked my GF, or any of my friends, all of which are Japanese. They seemed to understand what I said. My other half did giggle, but got what I meant.

But the part about "の" 魚が好きいの魂... You are right. Probably should have been an な...

I don't like to pull rank, but I have a Japanese wife and didn't need to ask her what was wrong with your rendition. Toritoribe is a native Japanese speaker and didn't need any outside input to spot the errors.

Your GF and friends can understand it because they're used to foreigners mistakenly using と any place they would put "and".

Get some materials and learn about adjectives and how they conjugate. Then will you not only not make mistakes like 好きい you will also understand why "probably" is entirely out of place when saying it should have been な.

(Please don't pull that tired old "Japanese GF/BF" stuff....this isn't a classroom of Japanese 101 anime fans at a local community college who will find it impressive. Lots of us here have Japanese wives, kids, in-laws, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc and manage to have discussions without trotting them in as substitutes for authoritative sources).
 
Back
Top Bottom