Tattoo translation

[Spoony]

Hi, I've been reading around and decided to go for a chinse tattoo, im thinking of getting this saying in chinese

"Fall down seven times, stand up eight" (1)

or

"Fall down seven, stand up eight" (2)

//whichever translates more 'smoother' into chinese

Using a translator I've got the following:

跌倒七次，站立八 (1)

跌倒七，站立八 (2)

Was wondering if anyone here could help me with a correct translation, thanks

[Chen Phoenix]

Hi,Spoony, if only considering its translation in the literal sence of the word, "跌倒七次，站立八" is better, cause "跌倒七，站立八" looks a little bit strange.

To say it honestly, neither is good, cause if u want to draw chinese tattoo, u'd better to use classical chinese idiom or some cool&powerful words...no matter "跌倒七次，站立八" or "跌倒七，站立八" they have no aesthetic feeling, no rhyme and no sense of beauty.

Now I'd give you some idioms for your reference. Please believe me all the idioms below imply the same meaning with "Fall down seven times, stand up eight"...

鍥而不捨

精誠所至，金石為開 （recommend this to u）

永不言棄

精衛填海

水滴石穿

Hope these helps~~~

[fengyixiao]

Do you want the idiom "七上八下" or "七死八活"？

七上八下，literaly is: seven on the top and eight at the bottom.

七死八活，lteraly is:die seven times and relive eight times.

[Spoony]

Hi thanks for the replies,

Well I am after a translation that is as close to : "Fall down seven times stand up eight"

so i guess 七死八活 will be more better than 七上八下

And I know its no good translating an English phrase into chinese, so I am after a Chinese phrase /old saying which is sort of equivalent to "Fall down seven times stand up eight"

-@Chen --> You say all of those idioms is a Chinese expression / version of the saying Im after?

Like these two

鍥而不捨

精誠所至，金石為開

They both are chinese versions of

"Fall down seven times stand up eight" or never give up etc etc

The only thing with that second one is im not sure if it will fit on my arm, Going to get it done from bottom of shoulder to just above elbow (on the side of arm)

Anyway thanks again for replies

[firefly]

愈挫愈奋

or

愈挫愈勇

or

历难弥坚

[Chen Phoenix]

Hi spoony, it's really difficult to choose a closest idiom to totally fit the literal sence of "Fall down seven times stand up eight".

“跌倒七次，第八次站起來” I think this is the closest literal meaning.

"鍥而不捨" & “精誠所至金石為開” means never give up and try somebody's best to finish something.

I also agree firefly's supplementary idiom. "愈挫愈勇" & "历难弥坚". All these words are suitable to make tattoos, and they all imply the artistic conception of "Fall down seven times stand up eight".

However, if u make "七死八活","七上八下" or something like these on your arm. There‘s no doubt you will be a ridiculous and strange guy, especially when u walking in some cities of China or encountering somebody they know Chinese..

"跌倒七， 站立八" is right, but I do not think it's good for tattoo.....

Welcome other friends discuss this thread together~

[fengyixiao]

If you want express "nevev give up",i suggest one idiom as "百折不挠"。

百折不挠,Literally: fall one hundred times, not give up.

百折不挠的中文解释

以下结果由汉典提供词典解释

【解释】：折：挫折；挠：弯曲。比喻意志坚强，无论受到多少次挫折，毫不动摇退缩。

【出自】：汉·蔡邕《太尉乔玄碑》：“其性庄，疾华尚朴，有百折不挠，临大节而不可夺之风。”

【示例】：汉阳民军总司令黄兴，系湖南长沙县人，向来主张革命，屡仆屡起，～。 ◎蔡东藩、许廑父《民国通俗演义》第三回

【近义词】：百折不回、不屈不挠、坚韧不拔

【反义词】：知难而退、一蹶不振、半途而废

【语法】：偏正式；作谓语、定语、状语；形容意志坚定，坚持到底

百折不挠的英文翻译 以下结果由译典通提供词典解释

1.never to yield in spite of reverses; to be undaunted by repeated setbacks; to keep on fighting in spite of all setbacks; not to lose heart despite repeated

[Chen Phoenix]

“百折不撓”

I agree...this one is perfect~

[Spoony]

Hey,

So “百折不撓” is probably the best 'chinese version / saying' of what I am after then?

[Chen Phoenix]

Yes~

Draw "百折不撓" on ur arm~ u will not regret it~~

It's better to use traditional Chinese characters, like what I write~

百折不撓

[Spoony]

Thanks, 1 more thing I was wondering, how would I get the characters more 'life-like'

For example, heres the 1 I shall get,

It seems to 'computerised',

I would prefer a hand-written type like

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1893/chinese2.jpg

or

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/2521/chinese3k.jpg

[imron]

Try something like this.

[imron]

Also, be aware that many tattoo artists are crap at doing Chinese characters. Even if the phrase says what you want, if the tattoo artist doesn't have a knowledge of Chinese calligraphy then it's very likely that they'll accidentally mess it up by leaving out a stroke, altering the dimensions slightly etc.

[Spoony]

Cool thanks for that, I've been looking some different types and come up with these 3 : what do you all think suits the best ,

(And can you guys still understand the meaning of it?)

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9247/chinese4.jpg

Thanks again

[muyongshi]

Don't really like any of them. Sorry. They are definitely understandable but nowhere near being aesthetically pleasing.

[Spoony]

How would I go about getting something better then? i've been looking through google and cant find many sites like that chinese-tools.com

[muyongshi]

What I would do if I were you is find a tattoo artist in your area that can do characters. Tell him what you want and get him to sketch it. Post it on here and then we can tell you if it's good or not.

[fengyixiao]

How about this online PrintMaker ?

http://www.makepic.com/ppic.php?act=d&style=2

[Hofmann]

That site gives me "您输入的必须是汉字" when I try to input what I think is 漢字...if ya know what I mean.

Anyway, Spoony, the one on the left is acceptable (and I say acceptable only because it doesn't have any major problems and because I can tolerate that style). The middle and right ones are ugly.

[Spoony]

I see , thanks, I will go with the left one unless I can find something which is better

And I also had the same problem with that makepic.com website

Also there are no chinese tattoo shops that can help me, I basically need to bring a design with me which they will outline and tattoo.