Kotobuki Long Life 寿き ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

(modern version) 

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

 (modern version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

 (older version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

  (older version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

  (older version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

  (older version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

 (older version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

 (modern version)

kotobuki   Long Life    寿き　ことぶき

Kotobuki Long Life

This image of　寿き ことぶき kotobuki, carved out of tortoise shell, signifies a wish to someone for a long, healthy and prosperous life. There are different forms of 寿き ことぶき kotobuki kanji with later ones being more simplified, as the writing in this text demonstrates.

Peace-of-mind, feeling safe, to not have to worry 安心 あんしん

The word  安心 あんしん is sometimes difficult to translate. Of course, we have the same sentiment in English, but we have a selection of words available. Japanese is all about  安心 あんしん. The word is part of insurance company vocabulary, public corporation life and the banking world, as the following ads show.

Safety anzen 安全 あんぜん

The kanji for festival 祭り まつり matsuri

festival  祭り　まつり　matsuri

festival  祭り　まつり　matsuri

festival  祭り　まつり　matsuri

festival  祭り　まつり　matsuri

festival  祭り　まつり　matsuri

festival  祭り　まつり　matsuri

What is in a name? Field 野 の

長野県　ながのけん　Nagano Prefecture
Nagano = Long Field




野原　のはら　nohara
Nohara = Field Plain





野球　やきゅう　baseball
yakyū = field ball



And here is the most famous of them all:

うえのどうぶつせん　Ueno Zoo

The old train from Ueno Station to Oomiya

It is interesting to note that from the kanji combination one cannot always be certain as to how to pronounce the name. The most common ones one would know, but sometimes one has to ask or to check in a dictionary. It is one reason why Japanese people often use めいし meishi or business cards with all the relevant information on it.

Here are some very every-day Japanese surnames; among them the previous Prime Minister’s name.

If you enjoy kanji, this site is wonderful:

kanji

Sir, Madam, Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ma’am 様 さま Politeness

さま is the formal address for another person. It is much more formal than さん and therefore always used on envelops. In some families it is used rather formally for father and mother おとうさま and おかあさま.

When one refers to members of the Imperial family, or when listening to TV commentary, a reporter would refer to Imperial Family members as へいか Majesty, or ひでんか   Imperial Highness, or さま meaning Ma’am or Sir.

On an envelop one would always use さま to show respect.

Thank you very much indeed – you must have worked so hard…