Heaven Sent in Chinese / Japanese...

天来 is a Chinese and Japanese title that means: heavenly; divine; inspired; heaven sent.

This can also be the Japanese surname Tenrai or Japanese female given names Takara or Sora.

天國 is the very Christian way to refer to the “Kingdom of Heaven” in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese. 天國 is also the translation for “paradise.”

The first character means “Heaven.” The second character means “kingdom” but, in modern times, has been extended to mean “country” (but no one will translate this particular character combination as “Heaven Country”). 天國 is the ancient version of this word, as in modern times (after WWII), the second character was simplified in mainland China and Japan.

天国 is the same meaning and pronunciation as our other entry for “Kingdom of Heaven,” but the second character was simplified in Japan and mainland China to this version.

Choose the appearance that you like best (they will be somewhat universally understood - as most people are aware of this simplification in places where they still use all traditional characters - such as Taiwan and Hong Kong). You can consider the other version to be the “ancient version.”

天恩 is the deepest way to say “Heaven's Grace” or “God's Grace” in Chinese.

The first character means Heaven or sky (referring, in this case, to the domain of God).
The second character means grace, blessings, benevolence, favor/favour, acts of kindness, merits, or beneficial influence.

This title can also be defined as:
Blessings of Heaven, Favor of the Emperor, Divination's luckiest day, or blessings of nature. Note: When you see “Emperor” above, remember that the Emperor, like the Pope, is theoretically chosen by God or seen as an emissary or conduit of God in ancient Asian culture. It would only be read that way in a certain context, such as “The Emperor, in his mercy, bestowed upon him Heaven's Grace, and the prisoner was set free.”

Note: Technically, this is a Japanese word too (pronounced "ten-on") but it’s rarely used in Japan anymore. Therefore, this title is best if your audience is Chinese.

天堂之音 is a title that can be translated as either “voice of heaven” or “voices from heaven.”

The first two characters mean heaven.
The third character is a possessive article (kind of like making heaven into heaven's).
The last character means voice but can also mean sound.

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

天 means “heaven” or “sky” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The context determines if you are talking about heaven or the sky above (often they are the same concept).

When combined with other characters, words like “today” and “tomorrow” are created. While sometimes the character for “sun” is used to mean “day,” often “sky” represents “day” in Asian languages.
Example: 今天 (this sky) = “today,” 明天 (next sky) = “tomorrow” in modern Chinese and Japanese.

In Chinese culture, regardless of which religion, it's almost always assumed that God (and any other deities) live up above the sky. The concept of God living in the sky is likely the reason heaven is associated with this character.
The equation goes something like this: God's domain is the sky, thus, the sky is heaven.

Note: As a single character, this is a little ambiguous, so you might want to choose our Kingdom of Heaven selection instead.

See Also:  Heaven | God | Today | Sun

大天使 is the title Archangel in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The first character means big or great (in this case, it means “arch”).
The second means heaven (or sky).
The last means messenger.

The second and third characters together make the title for angel, which is literally “Heaven's Messenger.”

This title would be understood as “The Chief of all Angels,” or “The Great Angel.” Some might even say it's the boss of Angels.

See Also:  Angel

天恵 means “Heaven's Blessing,” “Blessings from Heaven,” or “Blessed by Heaven” in Japanese Kanji.

Depending on the context in which this is used, it can also mean “gift of nature,” or even “natural resources” (as in Heaven or God bestowed things like oil, iron, gold, and other natural resources upon mankind).

皇天不负苦心人 is an inspirational Chinese proverb that can be translated in a few ways:

Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries.

If you try hard, you're bound to succeed eventually.

Heaven rewards diligent work.

Sincere/heartful effort reaps the grace of Heaven.

天意 is a way to express destiny in a slightly religious way.

天意 means “Heaven's Wish” or “Heaven's Desire,” with the idea of fate and destiny being derived as well. It suggests that your destiny comes from God / Heaven and that your path has already been chosen by a higher power.

My Japanese dictionary defines this word as “divine will” or “providence,” but it also holds the meaning of “the will of the emperor.” Therefore, I don't suggest this phrase if your audience is Japanese - it feels strange in Japanese anyway.

降福 is a Chinese word that means blessings from heaven.

天人合一 is a title that represents the oneness of heaven and humanity. It conveys the idea that man is an integral part of nature.

You can also read this as “heaven and man in unity,” or “nature and man in unity.” The “man” is really “people” or “humans” and is not gender-specific in Chinese.

天使 is the meaning of Angel in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The first character means heaven. The second means messenger. Together it makes sense that we are talking about angels as Heaven's Messengers.

If you are an “Angel Junkie,” this may be the wall scroll for you.
I also think it's a great choice if your name happens to be Angel.

See Also:  Angel

天力士 means “Heavenly Warrior,” or “Hero of Heaven,” in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese.

Often used in a Buddhist context.

天道酬勤 can be interpreted in a few different ways:
God blesses those who work hard.
It is the way of Heaven to smile on the diligent.
God will reward those that are worthy.
Heaven blesses those who are diligent.

Whichever translation you like, a scroll like this on your wall may serve as a reminder to work hard because your diligence will pay off both in this life and the next.


Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

天下一家 is a proverb that can also be translated as “The whole world is one family.”

It is used to mean that all humans are related by decree of Heaven.

The first two characters can be translated as “the world,” “the whole country,” “descended from heaven,” “earth under heaven,” “the public,” or “the ruling power.”

The second two characters can mean “one family,” “a household,” “one's folks,” “a house” or “a home.” Usually, this is read as “a family.”

Note: This proverb can be understood in Japanese, though not commonly used.

天地 is “Heaven and Earth” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This title is used in many different contexts. It can be a general term but is also used by Buddhists and in other religions.

This can also be used to refer to all of nature, the universe, the top and bottom, the realm of life, or the sphere of existence.

天之御中主神 is a phrase submitted by a customer.

I do not have information on the origin of this phrase.

神の恩恵 means God's Grace in Japanese.

The first two characters act to create a word that means “divine,” “God's,” or “The Spirit's.”

The last two Kanji mean grace, favor/favour, blessing, or benefit.

暗天使 is the shortest way to write, “Dark Angel,” in Chinese.

This literally reads, “dark heaven's messenger.”

天使 means “heaven's messenger” but is always understood as “angel.”

This would be pronounced "kura tenshi" in Japanese. This has the same meaning in Japanese, but not a common title. If you manage to find dark angel written in Japan, it would probably be ダーク エンジェル (Dāku Enjeru), which is a transliteration of the English title into Japanese, or 暗い天使 (kurai tenshi) which is a specifically Japanese title.

It was tough to find the best way to say “soul mates” in Chinese. We settled on 天生一對 as an old way to say, “A couple selected by heaven.”

The first two characters together mean “natural” or “innate.” Separated, they mean “heaven” and “born.” The last two characters mean “couple.” So this can be translated as “A couple that is together by nature,” or “A couple brought together by heaven's decree.” With a slight stretch, you could say, “A couple born together from heaven.”

It's a struggle to find the best way to describe this idea in English but trust me, it is pretty cool, and it is a great way to say “soulmates.”

If you're in a happy relationship or marriage and think you have found your soul mate, this would be a wonderful wall scroll to hang in your home.

This is a common transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Nevaeh.

This just sounds like Nevaeh, it is not Heaven spelled backwards. Since Heaven (sky) in Chinese is usually represented with just one character (天), there is no way to “spell” it backwards in Chinese.

我命由我不由天 is often translated as “The one that shapes my destiny will always be myself rather than the God” or “Rather than Heaven, I am the master of my fate.”

Breaking down the words directly:
我命 = My fate/destiny
由我 = depends (on) me
不 = not
由天 dependant (on) Heaven.

See Also:  Choose Your Own Destiny

天佑 is a Chinese and Japanese word that means divine aid, divine grace, Heaven blessed, or providential help.

Some Chinese people will use this to infer that this means a home or family blessed by heaven or God. 天佑 is the shortest way to express that idea anyway.

樂天 is about being optimistic and also making the best of whatever life throws at you.

This is hard to define. One dictionary defines this as “acceptance of fate and happy about it.” There is one English word equivalent, which is sanguinity or sanguinary.

You can also say that this means “Be happy with whatever Heaven provides,” or “Find happiness in whatever fate Heaven bestows upon you.” 樂天 suggests being an optimist in life.

Note: This is sometimes a given name in China.

Please note that Japanese tend to write the first character in a slightly-different form (as seen to the right). Let us know if you have a preference when you place your order.

Here is the Lord's Prayer in Chinese from Luke 11:2-4.

The Chinese text with punctuation is:
Part of 11:2 ...我们在天上的父，有古卷只作父阿愿人都尊你的名为圣。愿你的国降临。愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。有古卷无愿你的旨意云云。
11:3 我们日用的饮食，天天赐给我们。
11:4 赦免我们的罪，因为我们也赦免凡亏欠我们的人。不叫我们遇见试探。救我们脱离凶恶。有古卷无末句。
Note that punctuation is not included in traditional Chinese calligraphy artwork.

From KJV, this is:
Part of 11:2 ...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

我愛你到地老天荒 is a Chinese version of “I love you to the moon and back.”

The literal meaning of this phrase is, “I love you from the end of the Earth to the reaches of Heaven” or more simply translated as, “I love you until the end of time.”

Here is the Lord's Prayer in Chinese from Mathew 6:9-13.

The Chinese text with punctuation is:
Part of 6:9 ...我们在天上的父，愿人都尊你的名为圣。
6:10 愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。
6:11 我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。
6:12 免我们的债，如同我们免了人的债。
6:13 不叫我们遇见试探，救我们脱离凶恶，因为国度，权柄，荣耀，全是你的，直到永远，阿们。
Note that punctuation is not included in traditional Chinese calligraphy artwork.

From KJV, this is:
Part of 6:9 ...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

天道流 is the martial arts title Tendo-ryu or Tendō-ryū in Japanese Kanji. The meaning is “Heaven Way Style” or “Sky Way Method.”

天心道場 is the title Tenshin Dojo in Japanese Kanji.

The meaning of 天心 is the center of the sky, will of heaven, will of the Gods, the monarch's will, zenith, divine will, or providence.

蒼穹 is a poetic way to express “sky” in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.

It's like saying, “The blue dome of heaven,” or a way to say “blue sky” within a poem.

天無絕人之路 is a proverb that means “Heaven never bars one's way,” “Don't despair and you will find a way through,” and “Never give up hope,” and is the Chinese way to say “Never say die.”

淨土 literally means “pure land” or “clean earth.”

淨土 is also the abbreviated title of a Buddhist sect that involves faith in the rebirth of Buddha Amitabha (Amitābha) in the Western Heaven. Sometimes this sect is translated as “Paradise of the West.” Other titles of this school of Buddhism include Amidism or Elysium.

See Also:  Nirvana | Shin Buddhism

虛空 means void, hollow, empty, space, sky, atmosphere, heaven, or ether.

虛空 is the Chinese and Japanese version of the Sanskrit word ākāśa (or akasa / akash) which, beyond the sky or space meaning can be the immaterial universe behind all phenomena in the Buddhist context.

天竜人 is Celestial Dragon or Tenryūbito in Japanese.

This title is associated with the One Piece Manga/Anime series. This title is also translated in this context as “World Nobles” with the literal meaning “Heavenly Dragon Folk” or “Heaven Dragon Person/People.”

Can also be romanized as Tenryūbito, Tenryūhito, or Tenryūjin.

信言不美美言不信知者不博博者不知善者不多多者不善聖人無積既以為人己癒有既以予人矣已癒多故天之道利而不害聖人之道為而不爭 is the Mawangdui version of Daodejing chapter 81.

天龍 can mean Heavenly Dragon (Dragon of Heaven), Sky Dragon, Holy Dragon, Celestial Dragon, or Divine Dragon.

This can be a given name in both China and Japan (天龍 is pronounced Tenryū and sometimes written 天竜 in Japanese).

In an older Buddhist context, this can refer to Brahma, Indra, and the devas, together with the nāgas. It can also refer to celestials and snake spirits.

守護天使 is the title used for guardian angel in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.

It's used in the same way we use this title in the west - such as a guardian angel watching out for you and allowing you to survive a disaster or accident.

The first two characters mean to guard and protect. The second two mean “angel” (literally “Heaven's messenger”).

來世 is a word that can be used in many different ways.

It is often used to express the next life (life in heaven or wherever your soul is bound for). So it does have a religious overtone. However, it can also be used to express your life in the future - perhaps during your present lifetime.

It can also be translated as “the next world,” “the next generation,” “the time that is to come,” “otherworld,” or simply “posterity.”

See Also:  Eternity | Rebirth | Reincarnation | Immortality

蟠龍 is sometimes seen as a lower-level of dragon or a dragon that has not-yet-reached its potential.

蟠龍 is often defined as a “lake dragon” that has not ascended to heaven.
Another way to put that is a dragon coiled on the earth, which has not yet ascended to the sky.

This can be the Chinese ancient surname Gan or current surname Qian. In Japanese, it can be the surname Nukui, Susumu, Ken, Kan, Kawaki, Kawai, Inute, or Inui.

The meaning of this character varies a lot depending on context. These meanings include dry, clean, foster, adoptive, heaven, male, masculine, enduring, or continual.

The “Gan” version of this character was converted to Simplified Chinese as 干 in 1965. However, the “Qian” pronunciation is not associated with 干. Though to add to the confusion, there is an unrelated Simplified Chinese character 千 that romanizes as “Qian” and is also a surname.

In Mahayana Buddhism, 四大 represents mahābhūta, the four elements of which all things are made: earth, water, fire, and wind.

This can also represent the four freedoms: speaking out freely, airing views fully, holding great debates, and writing big-character posters.

In some contexts, this can be a university or college offering four-year programs.

To others, this can represent the Tao, Heaven, Earth, and King.

Going back to the Buddhist context, these four elements “earth, water, fire, and wind,” represent 堅, 濕, 煖, 動, which are: solid, liquid, heat, and motion.

福如東海壽比南山 is a phrase that means “May you have good fortune as great as the eastern oceans, and may your life last as long as the southern mountains.”

In ancient Chinese mythology, the eastern oceans and southern mountains are where God resides (basically it is the same as saying “heaven”). So it's like saying, “May your good fortune and life be as vast as the heavens.”

There is also a longer, 14-character version of this phrase. Also, this can be cut into two scrolls (with half the phrase on each side - great for hanging on either side of a doorway). Just let me know if you'd like a special version (there is an additional cost).

This text is the ninth chapter of the Daodejing / Tao Te Ching.

The text reads:
持而盈之、不如其已。揣而梲之、不可長保。 金玉滿堂、莫之能守。 富貴而驕、自遺其咎。 功遂身退、天之道。

This classical Chinese passage comes from the Mawangdui (馬王堆帛書) text.

This text is the first chapter of the Daodejing / Tao Te Ching.

The text reads:
道可道、非常道。名可名、非常名。 無名天地之始 有名萬物之母。故常無欲以觀其妙、常有欲以觀其徼。此兩者同出而異名。同謂之玄。玄之又玄、衆妙之門。

This classical Chinese passage comes from the Mawangdui (馬王堆帛書) text.

道天地將法 is a list of five key points to analyzing your situation from the first chapter of Sun Tzu's Art of War.

This reads like a 5-part military proverb. Sun Tzu says that to sharpen your skills, you must plan. To plan well, you must know your situation. Therefore, you must consider and discuss the following:

1. Philosophy and Politics: Make sure your way or your policy is agreeable among all of your troops (and the citizens of your kingdom as well). For when your soldiers believe in you and your way, they will follow you to their deaths without hesitation and will not question your orders.

2. Heaven/Sky: Consider climate / weather. This can also mean considering whether God is smiling upon you. In the modern military, this could be waiting for clear skies so that you can have air support for an amphibious landing.

3. Ground/Earth: Consider the terrain in which the battle will take place. This includes analyzing defensible positions, and exit routes, while using varying elevations to your advantage. When you plan an ambush, you must know your terrain and the best location from which to stage that ambush. This knowledge will also help you avoid being ambushed, as you will know where the likely places in which to expect an ambush from your enemy.

4. Leadership: This applies to you as the general and your lieutenants. A leader should be smart and be able to develop good strategies. Leaders should keep their word, and if they break a promise, they should punish themselves as harshly as they would punish subordinates. Leaders should be benevolent to their troops, with almost a fatherly love for them. Leaders must have the ability to make brave and fast decisions. Leaders must have steadfast principles.

5. [Military] Methods: This can also mean laws, rules, principles, models, or systems. You must have an efficient organization in place to manage both your troops and supplies. In the modern military, this would be a combination of how your unit is organized and your SOP (Standard Operating Procedure).

Notes: This is a simplistic translation and explanation. Much more is suggested in the actual text of the Art of War (Bing Fa). It would take a lot of study to master all of these aspects. In fact, these five characters can be compared to the modern military acronyms such as BAMCIS or SMEAC.

CJK notes: I have included the Japanese and Korean pronunciations but in Chinese, Korean and Japanese, this does not make a typical phrase (with subject, verb, and object) it is a list that only someone familiar with Sun Tzu’s writings would understand.

天界力士 means “warrior of the heavenly realm” in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.

This is also known as Narayana in Buddhism.