[Kakizome] Four-character idioms fit for the New Year: Introducing words that resonate with the heart and their meanings
Are you thinking about what words to write for your first calligraphy of the year? Four-character idioms, which are popular every year, pack deep meaning into just a few characters and are perfect for expressing New Year’s resolutions.
Still, many people may wonder, “Which idiom should I choose?” In this article, we’ll introduce four-character idioms that are well-suited for the first calligraphy of the year.
From bold, striking phrases to words that fit your New Year’s determination, find the expression that’s just right for you.
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[First Calligraphy] Four-character idioms perfect for the New Year: Introducing words that resonate with the heart and their meanings (31–40)
Blue sky beyond the clouds
@34m0923 When you look up at the sky, what do you see? Clouds, or a blue sky? Kirari – Fujii Kaze (cover by Fugen @whogen_) ↑ You can listen to Fugen’s lovely singingBlue sky beyond the cloudstranslationcloudBlue skyHope#Kirari#FujiiKazeCover songWind StringsFugen FTW
Original song – Fugen (Fūgen) – whogen Fugen
Even when we go about our daily lives as usual, small mishaps can happen.
We may also encounter things we never expected.
Older people, having lived longer, have likely experienced even more.
Some may have faced problems, put in effort, and overcome hardship.
The idea is that beyond what we overcome—like the sky above us—there’s a wonderful blue sky spread out above the thick clouds.
It’s a metaphor.
Even when we face difficulties, it can fill us with energy and a roused, determined spirit.
a clear and serene mind
It’s a four-character idiom that describes a state where the mind is bright like a polished mirror and calm like still water.
For example, before a competition you might feel your heart pounding.
If you take a deep breath and steady your mind at such times, you’ll feel refreshed, like a tranquil lake without a single ripple, and you can reach a state of meikyō-shisui.
With both your head and heart clear, it’s easier to perform at your best.
“Meikyō-shisui” is the perfect phrase for when you want to cleanse and calm your mind.
Whether you’re a child or an adult, if your heart feels unsettled, try remembering this phrase.
self-praise
This is a four-character idiom that describes praising or boasting about one’s own actions and thoughts.
It comes from the image of someone writing a poem or prose praising a picture they themselves painted.
People often confuse the characters for “painting” and “self,” so be careful.
Because it carries a strong negative nuance and is mainly used to criticize conceited people, you should use it with caution.
If you deliberately apply it to yourself, though, it can suggest that you’re moving forward in your own way and taking on challenges with confidence.
Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain
People say, “His life is like Fūrinkazan.” This sentence means that he responds flexibly to various situations and takes bold action as needed.
“Fūrinkazan” is a famous four-character idiom written on the war banner of the warlord Takeda Shingen.
When using the idiom “Fūrinkazan,” it’s clearer to the listener if you explain specifically how each element—wind, forest, fire, and mountain—maps to actions, behaviors, or states.
the finishing touch
When you complete something, I’d like you to remember the phrase “gairyō tensei.” It means the crucial final touch and is considered one of the idioms from a Chinese anecdote.
You often hear it in the form “lacking gairyō tensei,” meaning that a key element is missing or the finishing touches are sloppy.
Even when we think something is perfect, we sometimes realize it’s incomplete after someone else points it out—an experience everyone has had.
To reduce such failures and to gain a broader perspective through reviewing your work, why not adopt this phrase as a New Year’s resolution?
Good fortune comes to a cheerful home.
A smile is a magical expression that brings happiness not only to yourself but also to those around you.
If your child wants the new year to be filled with laughter, have them try writing this four-character idiom for their first calligraphy of the year.
This phrase is like turning the proverb “Good fortune comes to a smiling household” into a four-character idiom, and, just as the words suggest, it conveys that happiness comes to those who are always smiling.
It can be difficult for elementary school children to smile every day—whether they’ve had a fight with a friend or their studies aren’t going well.
But it’s precisely at such times that they should try to keep smiling and use this phrase with the mindset of drawing in good luck!
indomitable; unyielding; untiring perseverance
This phrase, which means facing any hardship without yielding and without giving up, conveys a sense of strong conviction and firm resolve.
Many of you may have heard it in speeches by athletes and politicians.
For example: “Results have been slow and it’s been one trial after another, but I want to tackle this with an unyielding, indomitable resolve,” or “Thanks to persevering with an indomitable spirit, I achieved my goal.” Older adults, who have had many experiences over their long lives, likely have numerous success stories of indomitable perseverance.
Why not invite them to share nostalgic memories along with some of those episodes?
single-minded devotion
@yojijyukugo.seizan translationworking adultTranslationstudy
♬ Original Song – Sacred Mountain – Four-character idiom / Sacred Mountain
Ichiisenshin, an expression that means focusing your mind on a single goal or matter and devoting yourself to it with enthusiasm, emphasizes the importance of working diligently to achieve your aims.
Both ichi’i and senshin mean concentrating your mind on one thing and striving without letting your attention drift to anything else.
Combining two words with the same meaning gives the phrase stronger emphasis.
For example: “Let’s tackle the issue with single-minded devotion,” or “Without a single-minded attitude, you can’t achieve your goals.” Why not try incorporating it into your daily conversations?
Indomitable (unyielding despite repeated setbacks)
@kuroe_voice Four-character idiom for those who strive: “Hyakusetsu-futō” (literally, “bent a hundred times, never broken”). May it offer you even a little encouragement.Words that resonate with the hearttranslationVoice actorvoice
Original Song – Genki Kuroe [KUROE GENKI] – Genki Kuroe [KUROE GENKI] / Voice Actor · Narrator
Literally meaning “not yielding even if bent a hundred times,” the phrase hyakusetsu-futō expresses a strong will that never breaks.
It describes an attitude of facing difficulties or daunting obstacles without compromising one’s convictions, continuing to strive toward one’s goals.
It’s an easy four-character idiom to use in everyday conversation, as in: “We’ll tackle the project with a hyakusetsu-futō spirit,” or “She kept a hyakusetsu-futō spirit and finally achieved her goal.” In life, there are times when we feel on the verge of being discouraged.
Let’s keep moving forward with a hyakusetsu-futō spirit, believing that our efforts will bear fruit someday.
A swift wind reveals sturdy grass.
Shippū Keisō (“gale and sturdy grass”) evokes grass that stands straight even when battered by strong winds.
From the idea that only when fierce winds blow can we tell which grasses will not break, this four-character idiom expresses that a person’s true strength and worth are revealed precisely in times of adversity or misfortune.
It can be used in sentences like, “It was a painful and difficult experience, but I’m glad I could learn, through shippū keisō, who my truly trustworthy friends are.” With its beautiful sound and thoughtful meaning, why not try using shippū keisō in conversation?