Four-Character Idioms: Bridging Generations in Japanese 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).
The Significance of Shūji in Japanese Art and Culture
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
721 渟膏湛碧 722 天涯比隣  723 大月小月  724 独立不羈  725 多愁善感  726 特立之士  727 長目飛耳  728 天下法度  729 天資英明  730 中流砥柱  731 抽薪止沸  732 忠孝不並  733 追根究帯  734 塗炭之苦  735 田父之功  736 直言正諌  737 頽堕委靡  738 朝盈夕虚  739 陳勝呉広  740 豬突豨勇  |
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741 棣華増映 742 大隠朝市  743 顛撲不破  744 昼想夜夢  745 天地創造  746 多事多難  747 単槍匹馬  748 大喝一声  749 長鞭馬腹  750 断薺画粥  751 呑花臥酒  752 知足常楽  753 探驪得珠  754 天上人間  755 大成若欠  756 電光影裏  757 大材小用  758 大廈高楼  759 竹馬之好  760 忠孝一致  |
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| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
761 東行西走 762 天淵之別  763 昼夜兼行  764 樗櫟庸材  765 東西古今  766 吐哺捉髪  767 妬賢嫉能  768 重卵之危  769 珍味佳肴  770 弾丸雨飛  771 待対世界  772 兔角亀毛  773 張王李趙  774 朝出暮改  775 貪夫徇財  776 呑吐不下  777 橦末之伎  778 多銭善賈  779 低吟微詠  780 天玄地黄  |
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781 独知之契 782 同床異夢  783 同心戮力  784 枕戈寝甲  785 東奔西走  786 朝聞夕改  787 陳思七歩  788 朝栄暮落  789 枕冷衾寒  790 拖泥帯水  791 張三李四  792 泥中之蓮  793 兔起鳧挙  794 天魔外道  795 徹頭徹尾  796 天地長久  797 長幼之節  798 断章取義  799 箪食壷漿  800 地角天涯  |
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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.