Thread for the Compilation of Kanji Slogans and Translations

[2xEnvelopment]

Can anyone help me translate this phrase, I've looked everywhere to research this, but I still don't have any clue as to it's meaning.



Thanks
-Matt

[chen]

1.Country
2.die
3.Personal
4.end

I think the phase means if your country ends, your personal things will end too.

[Walter Schmidt]

It reads the other way around,　滅私殉国
Which means "discard selfishness in patriotic martyrdom"
滅私=Messhi, discard selfishness (e.g. 滅私奉公, discard selfishness in public service)
殉国=Junkoku, Patriotic martyrdom; 殉=Die for a higher ideal, 国=country.

[Jxm]

Is anyone able to translate these for me please? We think this is a surrender tag for a Japanese sword. We've translated most of it, which is basically a name and address, but we're unsure of these characters:


The first one, the 3rd character means sword but we're unsure about the first two. The characters in brackets we think say "true meaning", but we're unsure what that actually means...?

[GHP]

This looks like Tadayoshi -- he might be the swordsmith of your blade. But I'm not certain of the "yoshi" kanji:
直義

居合刀
Iai-to
Sword for Iaido [aka Battodo]

Before the 1950s-60s "iaito" referred to a sword [live blade] used in iaido. Nowadays however, Iaito refers to a training sword with a blade made of nonferous metal. Some look cheap, but some are very expensive and look like a live blade until you get about a meter away.

--Guy
[long-time iaido/battodo practitioner]

[Jxm]

Thanks, the "Iai-to" makes sense. But we read the 2nd part (in brackets) as "true meaning" (see useful compounds http://japanese.about.com/library/blkod341.htm)

But the wood is damaged in that area which does make it hard to figure out what the character is. But I guess that a name would make more sense in the context, while 'true meaning' makes no sense whatsoever!

[GHP]

It makes sense that 直義 is a name since it is in parentheses and to the right of the words "Iai-to".

All Japanese characters can be pronounced a MINIMUM of two different ways: On-reading [Chinese loan words] or Kun-yomi [native Japanese words].

In our case here, the name 直義 can be either

1. 【なおよし】 Naoyoshi or
2. 【ただよし】 Tadayoshi (m)

I arbitrarily selected Tadayoshi because it sounds more like a swordsmith name to me; but, Naoyoshi could just as well be a good smith name. I knew a polisher named Naoki.

The kanji breakdown are:
直 Nao/Tada/Choku = Straight/direct
義 Gi/~yoshi = Morality; righteousness; justice; honour

Hmmmm .... according to this website Swordsmith Naoyoshi:

Naoyoshi
直義
Minamoto, Mikawa Shinto
1848
JN30,3,33, TS282

So ... if you have the sword, please remove the handle and send us an image of the engraving on the handle (sword tip towards ceiling, tang butt toward ground).

--Guy

[GHP]

Will you please post images of the full wooden tag? When I first saw your image, I thought it was part of a sword storage box with writing on the lid.

--Guy

[Jxm]

The tag is back with my customer, but I've asked for photos of the sword and handle.

[Jxm]

Naoyoshi
直義
Minamoto, Mikawa Shinto
1848

Would I be correct in thinking:

Naoyoshi - first name
Minamoto - family name (actually a well known clan?)
1848 - Date of birth?

and what is Mikawa Shinto?

[GHP]

<table border="0"><tbody><tr class="even"><td class="smith-field-name">Province</td><td class="smith-field-value">Mikawa</td></tr> <tr class="odd"><td class="smith-field-name">Start Era</td><td class="smith-field-value">Kaei (1848-1854)</td></tr> <tr class="even"><td class="smith-field-name">End Era</td><td class="smith-field-value">Bunkyū (1861-1864)</td></tr> <tr class="odd"><td class="smith-field-name">Active Period</td><td class="smith-field-value">1848-1864</td></tr> <tr class="even"><td class="smith-field-name">Father</td><td class="smith-field-value">Naomichi</td></tr></tbody></table>

source

Art name is Naoyoshi; Minamoto could be a status name awarded (I'm no expert, just a guess since Minamoto is a famous clan name).

A sword expert would have to examine the blade in hand to see if the shape/style matches the attributed name. Many swords have "gimei" -- forged signatures.

--Guy

[Jxm]

Here's the photo from under the handle as requested.

[GHP]

This sword does NOT match the written attribution on the wood tag.

[Seki stamp] Kojima Kunifusa

関 小島 国房


Here's another:






More images HERE

--Guy

[PeteJ]

Signed &quot;Hamidashi&quot;?

I was told by someone that this could be a hamidashi but I haven't a clue. Any help in translating it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

[Stu W]

Hi Pete,

You will likely get a better response by posting this sword in it's own thread in the sub forum rather than in this kanji thread. This thread was really designed for flags and the sword guys will probably miss your request for assistance.

Regards,
Stu