The Importance of Idioms in Japanese Literature
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 Beauty of Kanji: Aesthetic Principles in Calligraphy
| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
81 天孫降臨 82 天人冥合  83 頭髪上指  84 箪瓢屢空  85 中扃外閉  86 多感多情  87 大所高所  88 天覆之心  89 東海桑田  90 鄭衛之声  91 哲夫成城  92 鼎鐺玉石  93 鉄網珊瑚  94 跳梁跋扈  95 対症下薬  96 独弦哀歌  97 鉄杵成針  98 天姿刻薄  99 知足者富  100 泥首銜玉  |
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101 多情仏心 102 伝家宝刀  103 吐気揚眉  104 智徳俊英  105 知小言大  106 東塗西抹  107 竹苑椒庭  108 天地之差  109 直言極諌  110 大千世界  111 偸香窃玉  112 朝観夕覧  113 道風朗詠  114 中通外直  115 知足不辱  116 当途之人  117 知己朋友  118 朝改暮令  119 投鞭断流  120 地平天成  |
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| Character Illustration | four-character idiomatic compounds |
121 朝有紅顔 122 桃李満門  123 大桀小桀  124 都門桂玉  125 適者生存  126 大寒索裘  127 通今博古  128 長枕大衾  129 度衆生心  130 直往邁進  131 東食西宿  132 多言数窮  133 張眉怒目  134 疇咨之憂  135 低頭平身  136 天姿国色  137 得意満面  138 刀筆之吏  139 大慈大悲  140 断爛朝報  |
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141 田夫野老 142 端木辞金  143 天羅地網  144 長舌三寸  145 戴月被星  146 同声相応  147 転轆轆地  148 箪食瓢飲  149 朝三暮四  150 天長地久  151 徒手空拳  152 摶沙一散  153 多事多端  154 沖和之気  155 大智如愚  156 朝雲暮雨  157 頭上安頭  158 帯刀御免  159 蹄涔尺鯉  160 断簡残編  |
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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.