Kanji for Intermediate Learners: Expanding Your Skills
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).
Understanding Kanji: The Foundation of Japanese Calligraphy
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
561 鶏尸牛従 562 瓊枝玉葉  563 瓊枝栴檀  564 軽車熟路  565 稽首作礼  566 霓裳羽衣  567 漁人之利  568 虚心平意  569 虚心平気  570 挙世無双  571 挙世無比  572 挙足軽重  573 挙措失当  574 挙措進退  575 挙措動作  576 虚誕妄説  577 崑山片玉  578 紺紙金泥  579 困獣猶闘  580 魂銷魄散  |
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581 根深柢固 582 混水模魚  583 混水撈魚  584 今是昨非  585 懇切周到  586 懇切丁寧  587 困知勉行  588 昏定晨省  589 昏天暗地  590 昏天黒地  591 懇到切至  592 蒟蒻問答  593 魂飛胆裂  594 魂飛魄散  595 昏迷乱擾  596 言忘慮絶  597 今来古往  598 金輪奈落  599 玉昆金友  600 虚堂懸鏡  |
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| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
601 毀誉得失 602 漁夫之勇  603 漁夫之利  604 毀誉褒貶  605 漁父之利  606 虚無恬淡  607 高屋建瓴  608 後悔噬臍  609 慷慨忠直  610 慷慨悲歌  611 慷慨悲憤  612 慷慨憤激  613 口外無用  614 慷慨搤腕  615 口角飛沫  616 口角流沫  617 豪華絢爛  618 篝火狐鳴  619 膏火自煎  620 恒河沙数  |
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621 咬牙切歯 622 高牙大纛  623 黄河断流  624 好機到来  625 綱紀廃弛  626 香気馥郁  627 香気芬然  628 香気芬芬  629 剛毅勇敢  630 皐魚之泣  631 魚網鴻離  632 魚目燕石  633 魚目混珠  634 魚目混珍  635 魚目入珠  636 許由一瓢  637 許由巣父  638 魚爛土崩  639 魚竜爵馬  640 魚鱗鶴翼  |
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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.