Asian Art Outpost

Adventures in Asian Art



Buy a Custom Fight Chinese or Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

We have many options to create artwork with the Chinese characters / Asian symbols / Japanese Kanji for Fight on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Fight Asian character tattoo, you can purchase that on our Chinese and Japanese Tattoo Image Service page and we'll help you select from many forms of ancient Asian symbols that express the idea of Fight.

Quick links to words on this page...

  1. Fight / Beat Someone
  2. Fight for a Goal
  3. Fighter
  4. Fighter / Champion
  5. Fighting Spirit
  6. Warrior / Fighter
  7. Fighter / Champion
  8. Attack When The Enemy Has Low Morale
  9. If you cannot bite, do not show your teeth
10. Boxing
11. Fist
12. Furinkazan
13. War
14. Value of Warrior Generals

Fight / Beat Someone

dòu
斗

This is how to express the act of fighting in Chinese. Generally this means fighting against someone or some force whether physically or metaphorically.

Note: There is more than one way to write this character. You will notice variations on the next page after you click "Select and Customize". If you have a preference, please let us know when you place your order.

Please note that there is a secondary pronunciation and meaning of this character. It can also mean "measuring cup" or in Japanese "sake dipper" or even "The Big Dipper". In Japanese and Korean, this does not have the fighting meaning associated with it. You should therefor select this character only if your audience is Chinese, or you are a big fan of sake dippers or The Big Dipper (as that is how it will be read by Japanese and Korean people).

Fight for a Goal

zhēng
爭

This is the way to express the idea of fighting for a goal. It can also mean to struggle or to argue. This is okay for a Chinese audience, and while it is a word in Korean, this character is seldom seen alone in Korean grammar.

Fighter

Warrior / Soldier

zhàn shì
sen shi
전사
戰
士

The first character means war, warfare, or battle.
The second character means soldier, officer, man or pawn.

This is how to write "fighter" in Chinese, ancient Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja. This word can also mean soldier or warrior, but there are better terms for those two ideas. This one is more specifically "fighter" or "one who fights". This is an odd selection for a wall scroll, unless you are a boxer, ultimate fighter, or otherwise participate in combat sports.

Other translations include combatant or champion.

戦Note that after WWII, the first Kanji was reformed/simplified. This modern Japanese version is shown to the right. If you want this version, click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above.

See Also...  Knight | Army | Marines | Samurai | Warrior | Soldier

Fighter / Champion

dòu shì
tou shi
투사
鬪
士

This is how to write "fighter" in Chinese and old Korean Hanja.

Chinese: This is usually used to mean "fighter" in Chinese. It can also be translated as "warrior" or "activist".

Korean: This means fighter or champion (in terms of a fighter) in Korean Hanja.

鬥斗闘Note: The first character can also be written in three alternate ways, as shown to the right. Give us a note if you have a certain preference when you place your order.

Fighting Spirit

The Will to Fight

dòu zhì
斗
志

This literally means fighting spirit. As in the spirit that a warrior, soldier, athlete or fighter must possess.

斗Note: There is more than one way to write the first character of this word. It is sometimes written like the version shown to the right (yes, it's completely different, but has the same meaning & pronunciation). If you have a preference, please let us know in the special instructions about your order.

Fighting Spirit (Japanese only)

tou shi
闘
志

This literally means "fighting spirit" or "the will to fight". As in the spirit that a warrior, soldier, athlete or fighter must possess.

Fighting Spirit (Japanese only)

Alternate version

tou kon
闘
魂

This is an alternate title with the meaning "fighting spirit" or "the will to fight".

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Warrior / Fighter

sen shi
戦
士

This is an alternate title for warrior, soldier, fighter, or combatant in Japanese. From Japanese, this is often romanized as "Senshi".

See Also...  Knight | Army | Marines | Samurai

Fighter / Champion

Japanese Only

tou shi
闘
士

This is how to write "fighter" in Japanese Kanji.

This can mean "fighter for something", "militant", "champion of something/someone", gladiator, or may refer to a "boxer" in Japanese.

Attack When The Enemy Has Low Morale

bì qí ruì qì jī qí duò guī
擊
其
惰
歸
避
其
鋭
氣

Characters shown
above are read
vertically, starting
from the right

This literally translates as: Avoid [your enemy's] fighting spirit [and] attack [when] his [morale is] declining.

Figuratively, this means: Avoid the enemy when his morale is high. and strike him when his morale is flagging.

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If you cannot bite, do not show your teeth

If you cannot fight, don't start one

bù néng yǎo rén jiù bié zī yá
就
別
齜
牙
不
能
咬
人

Characters shown
above are read
vertically, starting
from the right

This literally translates as: [if you] can't bite people, don't bare [your] teeth.

Figuratively, this means: Don't show your anger if you can't do anything about the situation.

Some will also say this means, "Don't start a fight that you cannot win". Others will say it means that you must be willing to back up your words (perhaps with your fists).

Boxing

quán jī
권격
拳
擊

This is the term used in Chinese to refer to the original Olympic sport of combat and fighting. If you like to strap on your boxing gloves and go a few rounds, or are just a fan of boxing, this could make a nice wall scroll for you.

Note that Japanese use the same first character (which means fist) but a different Kanji for the second. Please see our Japanese boxing entry for that version.

Boxing (Japanese)

ken tou
拳
闘

This is the term used in Japanese Kanji to refer to the original Olympic sport of combat and fighting. This can also be translated as "prize fighting".

The first Kanji means fist. The second means fight. So when literally translated, this means "fist fight" (though understood in Japanese as a more refined sport, versus street fighting).

Note: A completely different second character is used in the Chinese word for boxing, but a Chinese person would still be able to guess the meaning of these Kanji.

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Fist

quán
kobushi
拳

This is the simplest way to express "fist" in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Furinkazan

military strategy

fēng lín huǒ shān
fuu rin ka zan
風
林
火
山

This is the battle strategy and motto of Japanese feudal lord Takeda Shingen (1521–1573 A.D.). This came from the Art of War by Chinese strategist and tactician Sun Tzu (Sunzi).

You can think of this as a sort of abbreviation to remind officers and troops how to conduct battle.

This is literally a word list: Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain.

The more expanded meaning is supposed to be...

"Swift as wind, quiet as forest, fierce as fire, and immovable as a mountain"

"As fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain"

"Move as swift as a wind, stay as silent as forest, attack as fierce as fire, undefeatable defense like a mountain"

"Move swiftly like the wind, stay silent like the forest, attack fiercely like fire, take tactical position on the mountain"

See Also...  Art Of War

War

zhàn
sen
戰

This means war, battle, or fight.

This is often used to title various wars. For instance, if you add the character for "2" before this character, you have the Chinese title for WWII.

In certain context, someone can use this word to mean campaign, game, or match.

戦Note: In Japan, they tend to use the form shown to the right. If you pick the Japanese master calligrapher, you may get/request this version. It should also be noted that this Kanji is seldom used alone in Japanese.

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Value of Warrior Generals

bīng zài jīng ér bù zài duō jiàng zài móu ér bù zài yǒng
而
不
在
勇
在
多
將
在
謀
兵
在
精
而
不

Characters shown
above are read
vertically, starting
from the right

This literally means: [Just as] soldiers/warriors [are valued for their] quality and not [just] for quantity, [so] generals [are valued] for their tactics, not [just] for [their] bravery.

This is a phrase that follows one about how it is better to have warriors of quality, rather than just a large quantity of warriors in your army/force.

See Also...  兵在精而不在多




You should look at these ready-to-ship pieces of artwork:

Bull Fight - South Chinese Folk Art Painting

Bull Fight
South Chinese Folk Art Painting

The title written on this painting means "Bull Fight". But it's a little different than what a bull fight normally means...


Compare: $50.00

Your Price: $29.95


More Info
Bull Fight - South Chinese Folk Art Painting

Bull Fight
South Chinese Folk Art Painting

The title written on this painting means "Bull Fight". But it's a little different than what a bull fight normally means...


Compare: $50.00

Your Price: $29.95


More Info

A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

The scroll that I am holding in this picture is a "medium size"
4-character wall scroll.
As you can see, it is a great size to hang on your wall.
(We also offer custom wall scrolls in larger sizes)

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.



See: Our list of specifically Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls. And, check out Our list of specifically old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.

The following table is only helpful for those studying Chinese (or Japanese), and perhaps helps search engines to find this page when someone enters Romanized Chinese or Japanese

Title
Characters 
Simplified
Traditional
Japanese Romaji
(Romanized Japanese)
Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Fight / Beat Someone
n/adòu
dou
tou
dou4
dou
Fight for a Goal
n/azhēng
zheng
cheng
zheng1
zheng
Fighter战士 / 戦士
戰士
sen shi
senshi
zhàn shì
zhan shi
chan shih
zhan4 shi4
zhanshi
Fighter / Champion斗士 / 鬥士
鬪士 / 闘士
tou shi
toushi
to shi
dòu shì
dou shi
tou shih
dou4 shi4
doushi
Fighting Spirit斗志
斗志
n/adòu zhì
dou zhi
tou chih
dou4 zhi4
douzhi
Fighting Spirit (Japanese only)闘志
闘誌
tou shi
toushi
to shi
n/a
Fighting Spirit (Japanese only)闘魂
闘魂
tou kon
toukon
to kon
n/a
Warrior / Fighter戦士
戦士
sen shi
senshi
n/a
Fighter / Champion鬪士
闘士
tou shi
toushi
to shi
n/a
Attack When The Enemy Has Low Morale避其锐气击其惰归
避其鋭氣擊其惰歸
n/abì qí ruì qì jī qí duò guī
bi qi rui qi ji qi duo gui
pi ch`i jui ch`i chi ch`i to kuei
bi4 qi2 rui4 qi4 ji1 qi2 duo4 gui1
biqiruiqijiqiduogui
pichijuichichichitokuei
pi chi jui chi chi chi to kuei
If you cannot bite, do not show your teeth不能咬人就别龇牙
不能咬人就別齜牙
n/abù néng yǎo rén jiù bié zī yá
bu neng yao ren jiu bie zi ya
pu neng yao jen chiu pieh tzu ya
bu4 neng2 yao3 ren2 jiu4 bie2 zi1 ya2
bunengyaorenjiubieziya
Boxing拳击
拳擊
n/aquán jī
quan ji
ch`üan chi
quan2 ji1
quanji
chüanchi
chüan chi
Boxing (Japanese)拳斗
拳闘
ken tou
kentou
ken to
n/a
Fist
kobushiquán
quan
ch`üan
quan2
quan
chüan
chüan
Furinkazan风林火山
風林火山
fuu rin ka zan
fuurinkazan
fu rin ka zan
fēng lín huǒ shān
feng lin huo shan
feng1 lin2 huo3 shan1
fenglinhuoshan
War
戰 / 戦
senzhàn
zhan
chan
zhan4
zhan
Value of Warrior Generals兵在精而不在多将在谋而不在勇
兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇
n/abīng zài jīng ér bù zài duō jiàng zài móu ér bù zài yǒng
bing zai jing er bu zai duo jiang zai mou er bu zai yong
ping tsai ching erh pu tsai to chiang tsai mou erh pu tsai yung
bing1 zai4 jing1 er2 bu4 zai4 duo1 jiang4 zai4 mou2 er2 bu4 zai4 yong3

If you have not set up your computer to display Chinese, the characters in this table probably look like empty boxes or random text garbage.
This is why I spent hundreds of hours making images so that you could view the characters in the "fight" listings above.
If you want your Windows computer to be able to display Chinese characters you can either head to your Regional and Language options in your Win XP control panel, select the [Languages] tab and click on [Install files for East Asian Languages]. This task will ask for your Win XP CD to complete in most cases. If you don't have your Windows XP CD, or are running Windows 98, you can also download/run the simplified Chinese font package installer from Microsoft which works independently with Win 98, ME, 2000, and XP. It's a 2.5MB download, so if you are on dial up, start the download and go make a sandwich.

Some people may refer to this entry as Kanji, Characters, in Mandarin Chinese, Characters, in Chinese Writing, in Japanese Writing, in Asian Writing, Ideograms, Chinese symbols, Hieroglyphics, Glyphs, in Chinese Letters, Hanzi, in Japanese Kanji, Pictograms, in the Chinese Written-Language, or in the Japanese Written-Language.

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