Custom Will-Power Chinese & Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

We have many options to create artwork with Will-Power characters on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Will-Power wall scroll, this is the place. Below you will find a few Asian symbols that express the idea of Will-Power.

Tags: Willpower in Japanese Kanji and Chinese. Will Power in Chinese and Japanese Kanji


  1. Perseverance / Will-Power

  2. Self-Discipline / Will-Power

  3. Determination to Achieve / Will-Power

  4. Will-Power / Self-Control

  5. Discipline

  6. Discipline / Training / Tempering Character

  7. Discipline

  8. Military Discipline

  9. Self-Control

10. Self-Restraint / Self-Control

11. Well-Disciplined / Orderly

12. Determination

13. Perseverance

14. Prideful Mind / Self-Respecting Heart

15. Self-Improvement

16. Strength / Vigor / Energy

17. Strong Hearted / Strong Willed


Perseverance / Will-Power

 yì lì
Perseverance / Will-Power Scroll

毅力 is a way to express “perseverance” with the idea of “willpower” in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. It can also mean “strong-willed.”

The first character means “strong” and “persistent,” while the second means “strength” and “power.”

Self-Discipline / Will-Power

 zì lǜ
 jiritsu
Self-Discipline / Will-Power Scroll

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.


See Also:  Discipline | Self-Control

Determination to Achieve / Will-Power

 yì zhì
 ishi
Determination to Achieve / Will-Power Scroll

意志 is a Chinese, Korean, and Japanese word that means “determination to achieve.” It can also be translated as: will; willpower; determination; volition; intention; or intent.

In Japanese, this can also be the given name, Ishi.

Will-Power / Self-Control

 yì zhì lì
 ishi ryoku
Will-Power / Self-Control Scroll

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.

 jì lǜ
Discipline Scroll

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

 guī
 kiritsu
Discipline Scroll

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.


See Also:  Self-Control | Will-Power

Discipline / Training / Tempering Character

 mó liàn
Discipline / Training / Tempering Character Scroll

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.

 duàn liàn
 tan ren
Discipline Scroll

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.”


練
練'
錬

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

Military Discipline

 jūn jì
 gun ki
Military Discipline Scroll

軍紀 means military discipline or military principles.

If maintaining your military discipline is important to you personally or important to your military unit, this is the wall scroll to have up behind your desk. In fact, it's the kind of thing I expect to see behind the desk of a First Sergeant or maybe a hardcore NCO.

Note: In some rare contexts, it could be extended to mean “morale,” but “discipline” is much closer to the commonly-held definition.

Note: This term is not well-known outside the military services in Asia (not used by the common person).


See Also:  Self-Discipline

Self-Control

 zì zhì
 jisei
Self-Control Scroll

The short and sweet version of self-control.

Note: This can also mean self-restraint.


See Also:  Will-Power | Discipline

Self-Control

 zì jǐ yì zhì
 jikoyokusei
Self-Control Scroll

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.”


See Also:  Discipline | Will-Power

Self-Restraint / Self-Control

 kè jǐ
 kokki
Self-Restraint / Self-Control Scroll

克己 can be translated as “self-denial,” “self-abnegation,” “self-restraint,” “self-discipline,” “self-mastery,” or selflessness.

As a tenet of Korean taekwondo, and other martial arts, this is often used with the title “self-control.”

Well-Disciplined / Orderly

Special Military Term

 yán zhěng
Well-Disciplined / Orderly Scroll

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.


See Also:  Self-Control | Will-Power

Determination

 jué xīn
 kesshin
Determination Scroll

決心 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean word that holds the dictionary definition of determination but literally means determined heart.

The first character means to determine or determined.

The second character means heart, mind, or soul, so you can imagine that this form of determination partially means putting your heart into something. It can also be translated as resolve, resolution, or decision (as in a decision made and followed).


See Also:  Devotion | Tenacious | Passion | Dedication | Will-Power

Perseverance

 yì
 see note
 
Perseverance Scroll

毅 is the simplest way to express perseverance in Chinese and Korean Hanja.
This single-character version leaves a bit of mystery about what kind of perseverance you might want to convey.

In Korean, this is usually associated with “strength of character.”

In Japanese, this character can be pronounced in a dozen different ways (so we have left out the Japanese pronunciation guide that normally appears above). In Japanese, this Kanji would usually be translated as “strong” (perhaps strong-willed).


See Also:  Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Undaunted

Prideful Mind / Self-Respecting Heart

 zì zūn xīn
 ji son shin
Prideful Mind / Self-Respecting Heart Scroll

自尊心 is a Japanese and Korean word that means “pride” or “self-respect.”

The first Kanji/Hanja means oneself. The second can mean revered, valuable, precious, noble, or exalted. And the last Kanji/Hanja means heart, mind, and/or spirit.


While these characters make sense and hold the same general meaning in Chinese, this is not a normal Chinese word. This selection should only be used if your audience is Japanese or Korean.


See Also:  Respect | Pride | Self-Reliance | Self-Control | Self-Discipline

Self-Improvement

 xiū yǎng
 shuuyou / shuyo
Self-Improvement Scroll

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.

Strength / Vigor / Energy

Physical Strength

 qì lì
 kiryoku
Strength / Vigor / Energy Scroll

氣力 can mean any of the words in the title above, and in some contexts, can also mean effort, will-power, or talent.

This refers mostly to physical strength (as opposed to mental or spiritual).


気In modern Japan, they use a simplified first character for this word. If you want to order this title with that special Japanese version, click on the character to the right instead of the button above.

Strong Hearted / Strong Willed

 yì zhì jiān qiáng
Strong Hearted / Strong Willed Scroll

意志堅強 can mean either “strong-hearted,” “strong-willed” or “determination.”

The first two characters can be translated as “will,” “willpower,” “determination,” “volition,” “intention,” or “intent.” But, it should be noted that this first part possesses the element of “heart” in the lower portion of both characters (they also partially carry the meaning “with the whole heart”).

The last two characters mean “strong” or “staunch.”

Chinese word order and grammar are a bit different than English, so in this case, they are in reverse order of English but have the correct meaning in a natural form.


See Also:  Strong Willed | Discipline | Will-Power


The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Perseverance
Will-Power
毅力yì lì / yi4 li4 / yi li / yilii li / ili
Self-Discipline
Will-Power
自律jiritsuzì lǜ / zi4 lv4 / zi lv / zilvtzu lü / tzulü
Determination to Achieve
Will-Power
意志ishiyì zhì / yi4 zhi4 / yi zhi / yizhii chih / ichih
Will-Power
Self-Control
意志力ishi ryoku / ishiryokuyì zhì lì
yi4 zhi4 li4
yi zhi li
yizhili
i chih li
ichihli
Discipline紀律
纪律
jì lǜ / ji4 lv4 / ji lv / jilvchi lü / chilü
Discipline規律
规律
kiritsuguī / gui1 lu:4 / gui lu: / guilu:kuei lü / kueilü
Discipline
Training
Tempering Character
磨練 / 磨鍊 / 磨鍊
磨练
mó liàn / mo2 lian4 / mo lian / molianmo lien / molien
Discipline鍛練 / 鍛錬
锻练
tan ren / tanrenduàn liàn
duan4 lian4
duan lian
duanlian
tuan lien
tuanlien
Military Discipline軍紀
军纪
gun ki / gunkijūn jì / jun1 ji4 / jun ji / junjichün chi / chünchi
Self-Control自制jiseizì zhì / zi4 zhi4 / zi zhi / zizhitzu chih / tzuchih
Self-Control自己抑制jikoyokuseizì jǐ yì zhì
zi4 ji3 yi4 zhi4
zi ji yi zhi
zijiyizhi
tzu chi i chih
tzuchiichih
Self-Restraint
Self-Control
克己 / 剋己
克己
kokki / kokikè jǐ / ke4 ji3 / ke ji / kejik`o chi / kochi / ko chi
Well-Disciplined
Orderly
嚴整
严整
yán zhěng
yan2 zheng3
yan zheng
yanzheng
yen cheng
yencheng
Determination決心
决心
kesshin / keshinjué xīn / jue2 xin1 / jue xin / juexinchüeh hsin / chüehhsin
Perseverancesee note / seenote / se noteyì / yi4 / yii
Prideful Mind
Self-Respecting Heart
自尊心ji son shin
jisonshin
zì zūn xīn
zi4 zun1 xin1
zi zun xin
zizunxin
tzu tsun hsin
tzutsunhsin
Self-Improvement修養
修养
shuuyou / shuyo
shuyo / shuyo
xiū yǎng / xiu1 yang3 / xiu yang / xiuyanghsiu yang / hsiuyang
Strength
Vigor
Energy
氣力
气力 / 気力
kiryokuqì lì / qi4 li4 / qi li / qilich`i li / chili / chi li
Strong Hearted
Strong Willed
意志堅強
意志坚强
yì zhì jiān qiáng
yi4 zhi4 jian1 qiang2
yi zhi jian qiang
yizhijianqiang
i chih chien ch`iang
ichihchienchiang
i chih chien chiang
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.


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.


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

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.

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

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.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

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.

A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

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.