We have many options to create artwork with the Chinese characters / Asian symbols / Japanese Kanji for Heart on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Heart wall scroll, this is the place. Below you will find a few Asian symbols that express the idea of Heart.
3. Brave Heart
5. Compassionate Heart / Benevolent Heart
9. Good Heart
11. Independent Spirit / Independent Heart
12. Iron Heart
13. Lion Heart
14. Listen to Your Heart / Follow Your Heart
16. Pure Heart
17. Sincere Heart
18. Sisters at Heart
19. Respectful Heart
20. With all the strength of your heart
21. Thinking Heart
22. Tiger Heart
23. True Heart
24. Trust Your Heart
25. Heart of a Warrior / Samurai Heart
26. Warrior’s Heart
27. Whole Heart
28. Work Together with One Heart
29. Hall of the Heart / Sacred Heart
30. Heart of Aikido
31. Heart and Soul
34. Beautiful Heart / Beautiful Mind
35. Beautiful Heart / Beautiful Spirit
36. Buddha Heart / Mind of Buddha
38. Home is where the heart is
43. Merciful Heart / The Light from a Buddha Mind
44. One Heart / One Mind / Heart and Soul
45. Peaceful Heart / Peace of Mind / Calm Mind
46. Strong-Willed / Strong of Heart
47. Strong Hearted / Strong Willed
48. Tao / Dao of the Heart / Soul
49. To a Willing Heart, All Things Are Possible
52. Bodhicitta: Enlightened Mind
53. Caring
54. Holding Flowers with Subtle Smile
55. Immovable Mind
59. Love Your Children, But Discipline Them Too
60. Mind Body Spirit
62. Spirit
慈悲の心 means benevolent heart, compassionate heart, or merciful heart in Japanese.
This is a Japanese-only phrase and should be ordered from our Japanese master calligrapher. This is because the third character is unique Hiragana.
Chances are you are into Inuyasha and are seeking the title of chapter 471 which is often translated as “Merciful Heart.”
Also: Clean / Innocent / Pure
純潔 is associated with “chastity” but with the direct meaning of clean, innocent, and pure.
If you were expressing the idea of a “pure heart” in Chinese, while not literal, this would be the word you would use.
In Japanese, this word is sometimes used to express purity.
In Korean, it describes purity, chastity, virginity, and innocence (basically the same as the Chinese definition).
永駐我心 is one of a few ways to write “always in my heart” or “forever in my heart” in Chinese.
The first character means eternal, forever, or always.
The second character means resides, in, or stationed (in the case of troops).
The third character means me, my, or mine.
The last character means heart (but can also mean mind or soul).
永遠に私の心の中に means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Japanese.
The character breakdown:
永遠 (eien) eternity; perpetuity; immortality; permanence.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing.
私の (watashi no) my; mine.
心の中 (kokoro no naka) the middle of one's mind; the midst of one's heart.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing (makes this “in” the middle of one's heart).
Note: There’s more than one way to say "Forever in My Heart" in Japanese, so you’ll find another version in our database. This is the very verbose version.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
A heart of kindness, benevolence, and virtuous intentions
善心 literally reads “Good Heart” but is used to refer to the ideas of kindness, benevolence, philanthropy, virtuous intentions, moral sense, and conscience.
Some will also translate this as the morality of mind (as the character for the heart is often used to mean mind).
In Japanese, this can be the given name Yoshinaka.
心の伴侶 is a Japanese-only title for soulmates.
心 means heart, soul, mind, core, or center. In ancient times, the heart was believed to be the mind or center of your soul and being.
の is a possessive article that connects everything here.
伴侶 means mates, companions, partners, and spouses.
This Japanese version of soulmates is about two partners, coupled or joined by their hearts.
獨立心 means independent spirit or independent heart in Japanese.
The first two characters mean independent or independence. The third character means spirit, heart, or mind.
獨立心 is a Japanese term, although Chinese people could guess the meaning (the characters make sense individually in Chinese but are not often used this way). Also, the first character would be written 獨 in Traditional Chinese versus 独 which is the Simplified Chinese and modern Japanese version.
鐵心 can be translated as “iron heart,” “steel core,” or “iron mind” in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.
This is not a common term, but I added it here since so many were looking for “iron heart.” This is almost like saying you are without emotions or feelings - a very stoic person. This is not a Buddhist trait.
隨心而行 is the closest way to express this idea in Chinese. Literally translated, this phrase means “Allow your heart to dictate your behavior” or “Let your heart guide your conduct” in Chinese. You could also translate this as “follow your heart.” Or, with a bit of imagination, it could mean: “let your spirit be your guide.”
Note that in some cases, “heart” can mean “mind,” “soul” or even “spirit” in Chinese. In ancient China, it was thought that the big pumping organ in your chest was where your thoughts came from, or where your soul resides.
Ancient western thought followed a similar belief. Thus phrases like “I love you with all my heart” and “I give you my whole heart.”
気持ちに従う is a Japanese phrase that means follow your heart.
The first part of this Japanese proverb means feeling, sensation, or mood.
The second part suggests the following, abiding by, or listening to this inner feeling.
In this context, you could say it means your heart, as the whole proverb suggests that you follow the feelings that you have inside.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
Pure and Innocent
純情 means “Pure Heart” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
It's used to reflect the ideas of being “pure and innocent.”
Depending on the context in which this title is used, it can relay “self-sacrificing devotion” or, in some cases, “naïveté.”
This would be in the same way we might refer to a young girl giving her lunch money to a beggar on the street. She has a pure and precious heart but perhaps is also a bit naive.
When you take 血心 apart, you find the sum is slightly different than the parts. The first character means blood, and the second means heart. It is important to note that for thousands of years, it was believed that your heart was both your soul and your mind in Asian culture. When you add blood to the heart, it is your whole being - the pure and clean dedication of your whole soul.
Most Chinese dictionaries define this as the sincerity of heart or a MEDICAL TERM!!!
Please think carefully before ordering this selection - it was only added as others have used this for coffee cups and other novelties (though perhaps naively).
The love between sisters
尊敬心 means respectful heart in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
The root is 尊敬 which means respect, honor, reverence, esteem, and/or nobility. Therefore, you can also define this as an honorable heart, reverent heart, noble heart, etc.
In ancient times, it was thought your brain was the heart in your chest. Therefore, 心 or heart can also mean “mind.” Hence, 尊敬心 can also be translated as respectful mind, honorable mind, etc.
You'll see 尊敬心 romanized as Sonkeishin or Sonkeshin from Japanese.
思い切り can be translated as “with all one's strength,” “with all one's heart,” “to the limits of your heart,” or “to the end of your heart/emotions.”
The character breakdown:
思い (omoi) thought; mind; heart; feelings; emotion; sentiment; love; affection; desire; wish; hope; expectation; imagination; experience
切り (kiri) bounds; limits.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
While 真心 literally reads as “true heart” or “genuine heart,” the understood meaning is sincerity, devotion, sincere, or heartfelt. Some will extend the meaning to be like “true love.” It's the idea of doing something or treating someone with genuine feelings.
真心 is valid and has the same meaning in both Chinese characters and Japanese Kanji.
Note: While not too common, this can be the female given name “Mami” in Japanese.
Besides the main title above, 心殿 also means “The heart or mind as a sacred hall” or “Heart Palace.”
心殿 has a Zen-influenced, introspective meaning. Popular in martial arts, meditation, or personal philosophy spaces.
The feeling of these characters is more inward and personal rather than religious.
Aikido no Kokoro
心魂 is “heart and soul” in Japanese Kanji.
The first character means heart (but can also mean mind or soul).
The last character means soul or spirit (spiritual essence).
心 would often be translated as “heart.”
However, because it was believed in Chinese culture for thousands of years that your consciousness and thoughts came from the big red organ in the middle of your chest, it also means “mind” or “spirit” and sometimes even “soul.”
In Korean, beyond heart, mind, and spirit, this character can mean moral, nature, mind, affections, intentions, core, and center. In fact, it is used in Chinese to mean “center” as well but only with another character in front of it. For instance, “medical center” or even “shopping center.” Separately and alone, it will not be read with that “center” meaning unless thought of as “the center of your soul.”
佛心 means the Buddha's mind, Buddha-heart, or the spiritually enlightened heart/mind.
The Buddha Heart is detached from good and evil and other such constructs. The Buddha Heart has mercy, compassion, and loving-kindness for all sentient life, the good, the wicked, and all in between.
The heart and mind (心) are the same concepts in the ancient Orient, so you can use heart and mind interchangeably in this context.
熱心 literally means “warm-hearted” (can also mean warm-spirited or warm-souled).
This is one of a few ways to say Enthusiasm in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
熱心 is also used to express the ideas of earnestness or eagerness.
Can mean “zeal” in Japanese.
家由心生 is an old Chinese proverb that is roughly equal to the English idiom “Home is where the heart is.”
If you know Chinese, you may recognize the first character as home and the third as the heart.
家とは心がある場所だ is, “Home is where the heart is,” in Japanese.
Most Japanese will take this to mean:
If you are with the person or at the place you love most, it becomes your true home.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
愛心 literally means “loving heart.” It can also be translated as “compassion.”
In Chinese, it carries more of a compassionate meaning.
愛心 is rarely used in Japanese anymore, so best if your audience is Chinese.
See Also: Compassion | Love
戀心 literally means “loving heart.” It can also be translated as “one's love” or “awakening of love.”
戀心 is used exclusively for love between boyfriends and girlfriends or husband and wife.
Breaking down the meaning of each Kanji, the first means love, affection, or tender passion. The second Kanji means heart, mind, or soul (most will read it as the heart).
See Also: Compassion | Love
心光 can mean the light from a Buddha's mind or “merciful heart.”
This would especially be the light emanating from Amitābha.
Note that the character 心 can mean mind or heart. 光 means light or brightness - but in this context can suggest a glow of mercy or compassion.
This can also be a Japanese surname that is romanized as Shinkou or Shinko.
一心 literally reads as “one heart” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
Colloquially or figuratively, it means: wholeheartedly; heart and soul; of one mind; wholeheartedness; one's whole heart; with the whole mind or heart; one mind in heart.
I'm not kidding, all of those came right from the dictionary for this one title.
In Buddhism, this can refer to the bhūtatathatā, or the whole of things; the universe as one mind, or a spiritual unity.
In Japanese, this can be the female given name, Hitomi.
安心 can be defined as relief, peace of mind, feeling at ease, to be relieved, to set one's mind at rest, and easiness.
安心 is a nice word that encompasses great meanings within just two characters. Some of the other meanings include pacifying, settling the mind, and peace of mind. It's also the idea of feeling a sense of security, safety, and confidence in your state of well-being.
This can be used by everyone, but some consider it to be a Buddhist concept (You'll find it in your Zen dictionary).
Note: Can be romanized as Anshin or Anjin in Japanese.
気の強い means strong-willed or strong of heart in Japanese.
Here's the character breakdown of this Japanese title:
気 (ki) spirit; mind; heart; nature; motivation; intention; feelings; essence.
の (no) possessive particle.
強い (tsuyoi) strong; powerful; mighty; potent; resistant; resilient; durable.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
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
心道 means “The Way of the Heart” or “The Way of the Soul.” The first character means “heart” but can also mean soul, spirit, mind, or your essence. In this case, it is most accurately translated with the heart or soul meaning.
The second character is Dao as in Daoism. Please note, this is the same thing as Tao as in Taoism (just Romanized differently - it's always been the same in Chinese for about 2300 years.
Where there is a will, there is a way
有志者事竟成 is an old Chinese proverb that has been translated many different ways into English. As you read the translations below, keep in mind that in Chinese, heart=mind.
Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.
Nothing is difficult to a willing heart.
Where there is a will, there is a way.
Nothing in the world is impossible if you set your mind to doing it.
A willful man will have his way.
If you wish it, you will do it.
A determined heart can accomplish anything.
All things are possible with a strong mind.
禪心 represents an image of your meditation coming from and filling your heart.
The meaning of the first character is “meditation” and the second character is usually defined as “heart” or sometimes “mind.”
There is a two-fold meaning here, as a good meditation session must start with a centered heart or mind. Yet at the same time, meditation serves to cleanse, focus, and center the heart and mind.
冒地質多 is a Chinese and Japanese way to write Bodhicitta.
冒地質多 is often translated as “the enlightened mind” or “enlightened heart.”
This title is strictly Buddhist and won't make sense to Chinese or Japanese people who do not have an expansive background in Buddhist terms, concepts, and scripture.
關心 means caring in Chinese.
Caring is giving love and attention to people and things that matter to you and anyone who needs help. When you care about people, you help them. You do a careful job, giving your very best effort. You treat people and things gently and respectfully. Caring makes the world a safer place.
Note: 關心 is also a word in Korean Hanja, but in Korean, it means taking interest or concern. In Korean, it's still a good word, but it doesn't quite have the “caring for a person” meaning that it does in Chinese.
See Also: Benevolence | Altruism
An idiom for heart-to-heart communication
拈華微笑 is a Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhist title that relays the idea of “heart-to-heart communication,” or “thought transference.”
The literal translation is, “holding a flower and subtly smiling,” or “the holding of a flower with a subtle smile.” It is the visual act and emotion that communicates more volume than words can say.
fudoshin
不動心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo) and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet.
Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: An unshakable mind and an immovable spirit is the state of fudoshin. It is courage and stability displayed both mentally and physically. Rather than indicating rigidity and inflexibility, fudoshin describes a condition that is not easily upset by internal thoughts or external forces. It is capable of receiving a strong attack while retaining composure and balance. It receives and yields lightly, grounds to the earth, and reflects aggression back to the source.
Other translations of this title include imperturbability, steadfastness, keeping a cool head in an emergency, or keeping one's calm (during a fight).
The first two Kanji alone mean immobility, firmness, fixed, steadfastness, motionless, and idle.
The last Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.
Together, these three Kanji create a title defined as “immovable mind” within the context of Japanese martial arts. However, in Chinese, it would mean “motionless heart,” and in Korean Hanja, “wafting heart” or “floating heart.”
一心会 is the Japanese martial arts title “Isshinkai” or “Isshin-Kai.”
It literally means “One Heart Association” or “Single-Heart Club.” This title is often associated with Isshin-Ryu Aikido and Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do. This title is appropriate for the name of a dojo that teaches these styles.
一心流 is the title for Isshin-Ryu Karate.
The literal meaning is “one heart method.” You could also translate it as “unified hearts methods.” It implies people doing things as if with one heart and mind.
The second Kanji can be defined as the heart, mind, or essence of your being. Clearly, there's a multitude of ways you can define this title in English.
See Also: Isshin-Kai
一心流空手道 is the full title for Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do.
The literal meaning is “one heart method empty hand way.”
There are other ways to translate this, but if you are looking for this title, you already know that.
This would make a great wall scroll for your dojo or private studio if you study this form of Japanese (technically from Okinawa) Karate.
Because this is a specifically-Japanese title, I strongly recommend that you select our Japanese Master Calligrapher to create this artwork.
身心靈 is probably the best way to express the idea of “Body, Mind, and Spirit” in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. We are actually using the word “heart” here because, for thousands of years, the heart was thought to be the place where your thoughts, feelings, and emotions came from. We do something similar in the west when we say “warm-hearted” or “I love you with all of my heart.” In this context, heart = mind in Asian language and culture.
The very literal translation of these three characters is “body, heart & spirit,” which could also be interpreted as “body, mind & soul.”
We have arranged these characters in this order because it simply “feels” like the proper order in the Chinese language. Word lists like this are not so common for calligraphy artwork, so we must be careful to put them in the most natural order. It should be noted that this is not a common title in Asia, nor is it considered an actual phrase (as it lacks a clear subject, verb, and object).
In Japanese Kanji, they use an alternate form of the character for soul or spirit. If you want this using the Japanese alternate, please click on the Kanji shown to the right instead of the button above.
Japanese disclaimer: This is not a natural phrase/list in Japanese. While not totally-natural in Chinese, this word list is best if your audience is Chinese.
至誠 is the idea that you enter into something with the utmost sincerity and fidelity. Ideas such as devotion, honesty, and “one's true heart” are also contained in this word.
至誠 is a universal word as the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja are all identical.
精神 is the kind of spirit you have if you perform well in sports or competitions. It is the idea of having a good attitude and putting your all into something - so much so that others can see or feel your spirit. It is the essence of your being that can only be subjectively described because there are no words that can fully explain what “spirit” really is.
For your information:
My Japanese dictionary further tries to explain this word by comparing it to mind, soul, heart, or intention.
My Chinese dictionary compares these characters to meanings like vigor, vitality, drive, and mentality.
My Korean dictionary defines this as mind, spirit, and soul.
精神力量 is a title that speaks of one's soul or spirit and the capacity or strength that soul possesses.
The first two characters mean mind, heart, spirit, and/or soul.
The last two characters mean strength, capacity, or ability.
Note: Separately, these are two words in Japanese and can be pronounced, but this does not make a natural title in Japanese (best if your audience is Chinese).
鉄心石腸 is a Japanese proverb that suggests you should have the inner-strength and will as hard and steadfast as iron.
It's the Japanese way of saying, “stay strong.” This is an especially uplifting thing to say to a person in distress or recovering from a disaster. It's kind of the survivor's creed.
If you literally translate this, it means “iron will, stone guts” or “iron heart, rock-hard bowels.”