New Members vsulpy Posted September 17, 2012 at 07:11 PM New Members Report Posted September 17, 2012 at 07:11 PM Hi, We have a planter (a porcelain lady with space for a plant) from my great grandmother. My grandfather got it overseas during WWII. Can anyone help translate the symbols on it? I'm really curious. I would very, very much appreciate it!!! And from looking online I think it's Chinese. Thank you so much! Quote
skylee Posted September 17, 2012 at 10:22 PM Report Posted September 17, 2012 at 10:22 PM From what is shown in the picture the one on top is 井 meaning well (where you draw water). The one below is not a chinese character. Quote
andysun731 Posted September 18, 2012 at 05:54 AM Report Posted September 18, 2012 at 05:54 AM Maybe not Chinese, but Japanese. Quote
Tiana Posted September 19, 2012 at 05:57 AM Report Posted September 19, 2012 at 05:57 AM I don't think it's Chinese or Japanese. It may be intended to be Chinese or Japanese by the makers who don't know the language and who use it simply as decoration (Think of some Western tattooists using Chinese/Japanese). Quote
外国赤佬 Posted September 19, 2012 at 07:45 AM Report Posted September 19, 2012 at 07:45 AM It seems to say ち (hiragana for 'ti') + something that looks like # (I doubt that somebody literate in Chinese characters would write 井 like that). This is probably gibberish, just for the looks. Quote
skylee Posted September 19, 2012 at 08:11 AM Report Posted September 19, 2012 at 08:11 AM It seems to say ち (hiragana for 'ti') The official romanisation is "chi". Quote
Tiana Posted September 19, 2012 at 08:35 AM Report Posted September 19, 2012 at 08:35 AM But the writing is not ち. Japanese would not write ち like that (with the end point accentuated, instead of lifting off as it should be.) Quote
外国赤佬 Posted September 19, 2012 at 11:59 AM Report Posted September 19, 2012 at 11:59 AM The official romanisation is "chi". Um, no. That's the Hepburn romanization. Nihon-shiki is the official one, though admittedly it's less popular than Hepburn. Quote
Hofmann Posted September 19, 2012 at 07:20 PM Report Posted September 19, 2012 at 07:20 PM Anyway, it's likely just a bunch of lines. Quote
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