Kanji Writing Styles: Exploring Traditional and Modern Approaches
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. |
|||
| |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Mincho Font |
Textbook Font |
Gyousho Font |
Gothic |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 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 Importance of Idioms in Japanese Literature
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
641 萍水相遇 642 無事安穏  643 避坑落井  644 不偏不党  645 誹刺諷誡  646 嚢中之錐  647 博学多才  648 飛耳長目  649 風雲之器  650 反面教師  651 美意延年  652 釜魚甑塵  653 発菩提心  654 排斥擠陥  655 倍道兼行  656 万物一馬  657 肺腑之言  658 旁時掣肘  659 望洋興嘆  660 南柯之夢  |
|
661 弁才無竭 662 忿忿之心  663 破天荒解  664 風光明媚  665 波詭雲譎  666 布素之交  667 白玉楼成  668 米塩瑣屑  669 披荊斬棘  670 放恣佚楽  671 抜来報往  672 柏舟之節  673 不即不離  674 悲歓離合  675 巫蠱神仏  676 匪躬之節  677 忙中有閑  678 暴戻貪欲  679 八索九丘  680 偏聴生姦  |
|
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
681 奔放自在 682 不惑之年  683 比目同行  684 肉袒面縛  685 日常座臥  686 万全之計  687 罵詈雑言  688 仏足石歌  689 腹心内爛  690 被褐懐玉  691 萬夫之望  692 片言隻辞  693 豹死留皮  694 物議騒然  695 柏舟之操  696 抜角脱距  697 博物窮理  698 赴湯蹈火  699 八方美人  700 半睡半醒  |
|
701 熱願冷諦 702 茅茨土階  703 風骨峭俊  704 腹中甲兵  705 法爾法然  706 別有洞天  707 撥乱反正  708 内剛外柔  709 物情騒然  710 不埒千万  711 放辟邪侈  712 跛鼈千里  713 辺地粟散  714 風流韻事  715 匍匐前進  716 匏瓜空繫  717 百鍛千練  718 不義不徳  719 抱痛西河  720 南洽北暢  |
|
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.