![[For Seniors] Recommended for Kakizome! Introducing Popular Four-Character Idioms and Their Meanings](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/kPh8Yx5dMlo/maxresdefault.webp)
For New Year celebrations, there has long been a tradition of writing auspicious four-character idioms (yojijukugo) as the first calligraphy of the year.
Doing kakizome together with older adults not only offers the simple joy of moving one’s hands, but also creates special moments to discuss the meanings and origins imbued in the characters.
We have gathered heartwarming idioms such as “笑門来福” (When laughter is at the gate, good fortune comes) and those associated with older adults, like “鶴寿千歳” (a crane’s thousand-year longevity) and “黄花晩節” (the late-blooming chrysanthemum; dignified virtue in one’s later years).
Savor the feel of the brush, the scent of the ink, and the quiet flow of time as you guide the strokes, writing each character carefully and with sincerity.
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[For Seniors] Recommended for Kakizome! Introducing Popular Four-Character Idioms and Their Meanings (1–10)
Good fortune comes to a smiling household.
When you look at someone smiling, it brightens the surroundings and puts you in a positive mood, doesn’t it? Among older adults as well, there are surely many people with wonderful smiles.
You might think the word’s origin is Chinese, but it actually seems to have originated in Japan.
It comes from fukuwarai, a traditional New Year’s game.
It’s thought to derive from families happily gathering at New Year’s and laughing together while playing fukuwarai.
Try picturing that scene: you can feel an atmosphere full of happiness, and it seems as if smiles bring good fortune with them.
It’s a word well-suited for the first calligraphy of the year, and by writing it, we can cherish smiles that let us feel happiness.
Crane’s longevity, a thousand years
Based on the legend that cranes live for a thousand years, this phrase expresses wishes for longevity and good health.
Since ancient times, the crane has been regarded as an auspicious symbol, and its noble, long life has continued to inspire admiration.
For older adults, this four-character idiom reflects not only their own hopes for health and long life, but also the blessings offered by family and those around them.
Choosing it for the first calligraphy of the year conveys a resolve to spend the New Year in good health and with a rich heart.
Health and longevity are born not only of effort but also from the daily accumulation of gratitude.
This expression conveys a wish for enduring happiness while cherishing life.
Late-blooming virtue
It is a phrase that describes living without losing noble aspirations and virtues even in one’s later years.
Just as chrysanthemums that bloom in autumn withstand the frost and flourish beautifully, it parallels the second half of life.
For older adults, growing older is not decline but a time to deepen experience and dignity.
To enrich the final chapter of life, it is important to maintain inner strength and integrity.
This four-character idiom praises a way of living that shines ever brighter with age—a life lived with pride in one’s path and with the respect of others, a phrase that beautifully colors one’s journey.
Actions speak louder than words
It is a phrase that means quietly taking action without many words and proving yourself through results.
Valuing action over speech not only earns the trust of those around you, but also becomes a source of personal pride.
For older adults as well, the achievements and efforts they have accumulated over their lives stand as proof that actions have spoken louder than words.
Choosing this for your first calligraphy of the year expresses a resolve to make this year vibrant with decisive action.
Small steps, taken consistently, lead to great results and can have a powerful impact on others.
It is an encouraging maxim that reminds us to keep moving forward even without speaking.
bright future; promising prospects
When it comes to four-character idioms that remind us of the importance of living positively, there is one that means “from here on, life will be filled with great hope and a bright future will spread out before you.” Yōyō evokes an image as vast and abundant as the open ocean, suggesting a future that stretches boundlessly ahead.
Even for older adults, it is in the latter half of life that new challenges and joys can be found.
Growing older does not close off possibilities; rather, it allows one to draw on a wealth of experience to live even more fulfilling days.
This idiom stirs the courage to keep hope alive and move toward the future, making it a fitting phrase for welcoming the New Year with a positive mindset.
a leisurely and comfortable life; living free and easy
It is a phrase that cherishes one’s own outlook and values, expressing a way of life that is calm, unrestrained, and free from any constraints.
Free from the busyness of daily life, it reflects an attitude of treasuring time spent in one’s own way, close to nature and personal hobbies—an ideal way of living for many older adults.
The tranquil life earned through years of effort helps keep both mind and body well.
Choosing it for your first calligraphy of the year can embody a wish to spend the coming year with ease and openness.
It is a term that evokes a comfortable way of living—one that values inner richness and peace, and reminds us to enjoy each day.
free and unfettered; open and uninhibited; free-spirited
It is a word that means acting freely and naturally, living with a broad, open heart without being caught up in small things.
It carries the nuance of having a bright, generous way of thinking and behaving that gives those around you a sense of reassurance.
For older adults, the composure and capacity for acceptance cultivated through a long life resonate with this word.
Spending each day without strain, enjoying free-spirited ideas and peaceful moments, also benefits mental and physical health.
Chosen for a New Year’s first calligraphy, it can embody the wish to live expansively in the year ahead.
It is a warm word that reminds us of a mindset that enriches life.