The Role of Kanji in Japanese Literature and Poetry
Multiple examples of four-character compounds and four-letter words are presented on one page with examples of four-character compounds displayed by various designs focusing on four-character compounds and four-letter words.
We express four-character idioms in various designs, such as Mincho, Gyosho, Gothic, and Sosho styles. These can serve as general examples for lettering in Japanese, posters (handmade signs), and calligraphy assignments like the New Year's calligraphy tradition.
 Comparison Samples of Four-Character Idiom Designs. |
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 Mincho Font |
Textbook Font |
Gyousho Font |
Gothic |
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| Maru Gothic |
Anxiety |
Brush Pen |
Sosho Font |
We have put together a one-page sample of such a design for one four-character phrase.
Kanji characters may be missing if they are old or special characters (Unicode).
The Art of Japanese Calligraphy: Techniques and Styles
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
 321 飲水懐源 322 飲水思源 323 引錐刺股 324 引錐自刺 325 飲水知源 326 引足救経 327 飲鴆止渇 328 殷天動地 329 引刀趣機 330 陰徳恩賜 331 陰徳陽報 332 隠忍自重 333 飲馬投銭 334 允文允武 335 因病下薬 336 陰謀詭計 337 引喩失義 338 飲流懐源 339 引狼入室 340 応急処置 |
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 341 応急措置 342 応機立断 343 王侯将相 344 王公大人 345 横行跋扈 346 横行覇道 347 横行不法 348 阿修羅道 349 阿世曲学 350 唖然失笑 351 鴉巣生鳳 352 遏悪揚善 353 遏雲之曲 354 愛屋及烏 355 一得一失 356 一徳一心 357 一得之愚 358 一斗百篇 359 一登竜門 360 一敗塗地 |
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| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
 361 一発五豝 362 一髪千鈞 363 一発双貫 364 一発必中 365 一波万頃 366 一波万波 367 衣裏繫珠 368 掩悪揚善 369 宴安酖毒 370 烟雲過眼 371 煙雲月露 372 威風凛凛 373 緯武経文 374 威武堂堂 375 異聞奇譚 376 韋編三絶 377 衣豊食足 378 移木之信 379 葦末之巣 380 意味深長 |
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 381 倚門倚閭 382 倚門之望 383 意欲満満 384 衣履弊穿 385 依流平進 386 意料無限 387 燕雀鴻鵠 388 燕雀相賀 389 燕雀之賀 390 円首方足 391 円成実性 392 燕照築台 393 煙消霧散 394 怨女曠夫 395 遠水近火 396 遠水近渇 397 円枘方鑿 398 嫣然一笑 399 偃鼠飲河 400 燕巣幕上 |
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Significance of Font Design
They play an important role in the communication and visual presentation of information. First, fonts can greatly affect the impression of a message depending on the shape and style of the letters. For example, serif fonts give a traditional, formal impression, while sans-serif fonts create a modern, clean look.
They also contribute to readability and legibility and are designed to aid visual attraction and understanding, especially in advertising and publications. In addition, fonts can serve as part of a brand identity, a means of expressing the personality of a company or product.
About precautions How to write and read four-character phrases |
This homepage introduces how to write various four-character phrases.
Some kanji characters may be garbled because they are not supported in the font-based character design. We have also taken care to ensure that there are no mistakes in the kanji and reading notations, but there may be kanji mistakes or conversion errors.
The introduction of typefaces is only shown as an example as a sample of typeface design. Even similar fonts may differ in minor details. It is not intended to indicate superiority or inferiority of any typeface.
The font and cursive typefaces shown on this page are not necessarily correct, as they often reflect the individuality of the person actually writing them.
When accuracy is required for school assignments, exams, work, etc., please confirm the correctness of the kanji, readings, and meanings of 4-kanji compounds with a Japanese dictionary, idiomatic expression dictionary, or other reliable source. Text and images on this site may not be reproduced or redistributed.