If training or drill is important to you (especially for military drill and training), 訓練 might be just the thing for a drill master to hang behind his/her desk.

This term is universal in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. It can also mean practice or exercise, depending on context.

錬磨 is a Japanese word that means training, practice/practise, or cultivation.

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.

This is a martial arts phrase that roughly translates as, “Fierce and courageous training defeats the strong and protects the body,” or “Brave and fierce training result in victory over the strong and defend the body.”

練功 is a martial arts term that can mean to practice and attain working skills, feats of practice/practise, or skills acquired through hard training.

練功 is often used as a martial arts term but can apply to other skills (or professions).

There is more than one way to translate the ancient Chinese military proverb, 平时多流汗战时少流血. Here are a few interpretations:

A drop of sweat spent in a drill is a drop of blood saved in war.

More practice will give one a better chance of success in real situations.

The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.

I heard this many times when I was a U.S. Marine but I had no idea at the time that it was actually an old Chinese proverb.

See Also:  Blood Sweat and Tears

道場で泣き戦場で笑う is a Japanese phrase that means “Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.”

You'll see this phrase in a lot of dojos as a kind of philosophical joke.

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

In modern Japanese, 真剣勝負 means to take something very seriously.

The literal and historical meaning is “real sword battle.” In old times, a Samurai apprentice would practice with a wooden practice sword. Once trained and qualified, they would wield a real steel sword made for battle and killing. They were ready for a “death match” or Shinken Shobu.

真剣 is an adjective that has come to mean serious/earnest. The literal translation is “real sword.”

勝負 in the simplest terms, means match, contest, game, or bout. Depending on the context, it could also mean victory or defeat, winning and losing, or the outcome of a battle.

There is a suggestion in Shinken Shobu that you train with serious and real intent, as we should train with the same fervor and dedication as if the battle was real. “Train as we fight.”

See Also:  Cry in the Dojo - Laugh on the Battlefield

修養 means self-improvement in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Other translations for this word include accomplishment, training, self-cultivation, (mental) training, self-discipline, cultivation, or cultivating moral character.

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.

See Also:  Self-Control | Will-Power

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.

See Also:  Self-Control | Will-Power

拳禪一如 is a Japanese phrase that is often translated as “train both body and spirit.”

Here's the breakdown of the words in this phrase:
拳 means fist.
禅 is zen, which means meditation.
一如 is a word that means “to be just like,” “oneness,” “true nature,” or “true character.”

So to get to the translation of “train both body and spirit,” you must understand that “fist” is representing “body” and the idea of meditation is representing “mind.”

I have to say, this is not how I would translate this. To me, it's really about training with your mind and remembering that meditation is a huge part of training, not just your fist. As the Shaolin Buddhist monks show us, meditation is just as important as physical training in martial arts.

教育 is a Chinese and Japanese word that means to educate, teaching, educating, and/or training.

剛柔道場 can be translated as “Goju Dojo,” or “Soft-Hard Training Hall.”

不屈勇氣 can be translated as “Unyielding,” “Unstoppable Bravery,” or “Indomitable Courage.”

In martial contexts, this phrase is often used as a motto emphasizing mindset, conduct, or training attitude.

躾 is shitsuke which means to discipline, to train, training, or teach manners in Japanese.

躾 means the same thing in Chinese, but not as commonly used.

一心学院 can be translated as “Isshin Academy.”

In martial arts usage, this term is typically chosen to express a training mindset, ethical conduct, or personal cultivation. It is commonly used in dojo culture, mottos, and calligraphy titles.

Cross-language note: while the core meaning is broadly shared across Chinese and Japanese usage, nuance and frequency can differ by tradition.

友愛道場 can be translated as “Friendship Dojo.”

友愛 = Friendship or fraternity.

道場 = Training hall.

一心道場 can be translated as “Isshin Dojo.”

In martial arts usage, this term is typically chosen to express a training mindset, ethical conduct, or personal cultivation. It is commonly used in dojo culture, mottos, and calligraphy titles.

不屈自律 can be translated as “Indomitable Self-Discipline,” “Tenacious Self-Control,” or “Unyielding Self-Discipline.”

In martial contexts, this phrase is often used as a motto emphasizing mindset, conduct, or training attitude.

稽古心 is Keiko Shin in Japanese Kanji.

The first two characters, 稽古 mean to learn from the ancients, to study the classic texts, practice, training, or study.

The last character, 心, means heart or mind.

禅道場 can be translated as “Zen Dojo.”

禅/禪 = Zen or meditation. If you prefer 禪 over 禅, let me know when you order.

道場 = Dojo (training hall).

道場訓 or Dōjō-kun is a Japanese martial arts term meaning “training hall rules.”

道場訓 is the rules or doctrine of the dojo.

You will see this often in the form of a list of roles and expectations posted near the front entrance of a dojo.

菩提心 means Bodhi-mind or Bodhi-heart.

This title represents the will to realize supreme enlightenment. The awakening of the Bodhi-mind is of utmost importance in Buddhist training.

Other definitions include the mind for or of bodhi, the awakened, enlightened mind, or having Buddha-nature.

剛柔武道 can be translated as “Goju Martial Arts,” or “Goju Martial Way.”

剛柔 = Hard and soft or balanced power and yielding.

武道 = Martial way, martial arts, or an ethical/lifelong path of training.

修行 is shugyō or shugyou in Japanese. It refers to ascetic practices, training, practice, discipline, and study.

修行 is also a word in the original Chinese, referring more to religious studies and practices.

In the Buddhist context, this represents caryā. In Buddhism, this relates to one's conduct, observing and doing, cultivating oneself in the right practice, and/or being pious.

不動心道場 can be translated as “Fudoshin Dojo,” or “Immovable Mind Hall,” depending on usage.

不動心 = Fudoshin or immovable mind.
道場 = Dojo or training hall.

克己武道 can be translated as “Self-Discipline Martial Way,” or “Self-Discipline Martial Arts.”

克己 = Self-mastery, or overcome the self.

武道 = Martial way, suggesting an ethical/lifelong path of training.

Martial way; ethical/lifelong path of training.

不動心館 can be translated as “Fudoshinkan,” or “Immovable Mind Hall.”

Fudoshinkan (不動心館) refers to various Japanese martial arts schools, primarily focusing on Aikido, Iaido (sword art), and Jodo (short staff), emphasizing the concept of Fudoshin (不動心) – a calm, immovable mind in the face of challenge, reflecting traditional samurai spirit through dynamic training and inner peace

Immovable mind; unwavering composure. Hall/school (as in -kan / -gwan).

兵在精而不在多 is a Chinese proverb that means: [The value of] soldiers/warriors lies in [their] quality, not [just] in [their] quantity.

In simple terms, this says that regarding warriors, quality is better than quantity.

Most tacticians will agree that this can aid in the factor known as “force multiplication.” Having good troops of high morale, excellent training, and good discipline is like having a force that is three times larger.

See Also:  兵在精

These are the “Five Reflections” of Vice Admiral Hajime Matsushita of the Japanese Imperial Navy.

These days, the Five Reflections are recited or contemplated daily by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force recruits in training. This long proverb is popularly translated into English this way:

Hast thou not gone against sincerity?
Hast thou not felt ashamed of thy words and deeds?
Hast thou not lacked vigor?
Hast thou not exerted all possible efforts?
Hast thou not become slothful?

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

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.

師範 or Shihan is a Japanese term, often used in Japanese martial arts.

In typical Japanese language, it can refer to a teacher or instructor. However, in martial arts, it's often an honorific title for an expert or master instructor.

Example: In Aikido the title can refer to someone with the rank of 7th dan. But other schools use it to mean a master who has earned the right to award black belts.

This term is also used in Chinese, where it refers to teacher-training or the art of teaching by example. It's used within the proper name of certain types of universities in China.

推手 is the martial arts title “Pushing Hands.”

推手 is the title for two-person training routines practiced in internal Chinese martial arts such as Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan), Liuhebafa, Chuan Fa, and Yiquan.

The first character means “pushing.”
The second character means “hand” (or “hands”).

This term can be romanized as “Tui Sau,” “Tui Sao,” or from Mandarin, “Tui Shou.”

If you are looking for this term, chances are, you already know the meaning within the context of Tai Chi and other martial arts.

黑帶 is “black belt” in Chinese.

Many will argue whether rank systems that include a “black belt” are used in pure Chinese martial arts systems. The argument goes that it's more a Japanese idea merged into the western versions of Chinese martial arts. However, in Wushu (often referred to as Kung Fu), it's said that all students started with white belts. Over the years of training, the white belt would get dirty until finally appearing black with filth. Thus, more advanced students had darker belts.

If you want this title in Chinese, this would be the form.

Often, the second character is written like the image to the right. If you like this version, click on this character instead of the button above.

忍術 is the “art of the ninja” in Japanese. Most Japanese people associate ninjas with romance and reverence for Japan's ancient past. But most will accept that the ninja is an idea or way of life whose time has passed. However, this has not stopped floods of movies about ninjas and dojos offering Ninjutsu training from keeping the idea of the ninja alive in modern times.

My modern Japanese dictionary defines this as “assassination, stealth, and combat techniques” or “fighting art of the ninja.”

Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese tend to write the first character in the form shown to the right. Because this is specifically a Japanese title, we only suggest a Japanese calligrapher for this selection - and you will get the form shown to the right if you do that (please ignore the fact that some of the images you see during the following pages in the options process will be the Chinese/alternate form).

This text is the chant or poem of Wing Chun.

I call it a “chant” because it was meant to be a somewhat rhythmic poem to help practitioners memorize many aspects of Wing Chun.

You will see this referred to as “Wing Chun Kuem Kuit.” This Cantonese romanization is popular in the west (and there is no official way to romanize Cantonese, so many variations exist). In Mandarin, it would be, “Yong Chun Quan Jue.” The last character (kuit or kyut from Cantonese, jue or chüeh from Mandarin) kind of means “secrets of the art.” It's a short way to write 口訣, meaning “mnemonic chant” or “rhyme for remembering.”

In the west (especially in the military), we often use acronyms to remember things. There are no initials to make acronyms in Chinese, so in ancient times, chants like this are used to remember vast amounts of information. I will presume you already know the meaning of the 10 maxims, so I will skip that to keep this calligraphy entry from getting too large.

Some think 练拳者必记 is the title but that just says, “(When) training (the) fist, people should remember:.” Therefore, I've not included that in the calligraphy. However, you can put a note in the special instructions if you want it added.

Note: On a traditional calligraphy wall scroll, the characters will be written in vertical columns, starting from the right, and proceeding left.

Note: This is an except and variation from a huge 口訣. These 10 maxims are used extensively in Wing Chun training, and you’ll find them all over the internet. Just know there is a much longer version out there, along with several variations and excepts like this one. If you know of, or want a different version, just contact me, and I will add it for you.