The Significance of Shūji in Japanese Education and Culture
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).
Japanese Idioms: Expressions That Capture Everyday Life
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
481 家書万金 482 迎合追従  483 閨閤之臣  484 傾国傾城  485 経国済民  486 洽覧深識  487 毫釐千里  488 蛟竜雲雨  489 黄梁一炊  490 虹梁鴛瓦  491 濠梁之上  492 濠梁之想  493 黄梁之夢  494 羹藜含糗  495 高楼大廈  496 光禄池台  497 甲論乙駁  498 高論卓説  499 高論名説  500 金石良言  |
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501 巾箱之寵 502 禽息鳥視  503 欽定詩宗  504 金泥精描  505 偶像破壊  506 空即是色  507 苦輪之海  508 君恩海壑  509 群疑満腹  510 群軽折軸  511 焄蒿凄愴  512 形影一如  513 閨英閣秀  514 禍福相倚  515 禍福相貫  516 禍福同門  517 禍福得喪  518 禍福之転  519 禍福無門  520 葭莩之誼  |
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| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
521 葭莩之親 522 寡廉鮮恥  523 苛斂誅求  524 餓狼之口  525 銜哀致誠  526 含飴弄孫  527 干雲蔽日  528 韓雲孟竜  529 含英咀華  530 檻往知来  531 寒灰枯木  532 韓海蘇潮  533 閨英閣香  534 経営惨憺  535 形影相親  536 枯魚銜索  537 虎虚之誤  538 虎踞竜蟠  539 効果覿面  540 高臥東山  |
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541 広廈万間 542 黄花晩節  543 高歌放吟  544 業果法然  545 紅顔可憐  546 高岸深谷  547 合歓綢繆  548 紅顔薄命  549 倣岸不屈  550 傲岸不遜  551 傲岸無礼  552 後患無窮  553 厚顔無恥  554 功虧一簣  555 剛毅果敢  556 剛毅果断  557 綱紀厳正  558 荊妻豚児  559 荊釵布裙  560 荊山之玉  |
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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.