Japanese Word Tattoo Idea – ‘Carpe Diem/Live The Moment’ | Yojijukugo (四字熟語)

A Japanese Zen word (Carp Diem/Live the moment: 前後際断) for tattoo is available for instant download. This word consists of 4 Kanji symbols and this is what is called Yojijukugo (4 Letter idiom). The letters are available in 3 different writing styles for your preference. Created and verified by a native Japanese speaker. 100% accurate and Your favourite tattoo artist DOES NOT need to know any Japanese.

‘Yojijukugo’, four-kanji character idiom serves as good sources for Japanese word tattoo ideas.

What is Kanji ?

Kanji is one of the 3 Japanese writing systems. It is a set of symbols that represent words or concepts. Samurai’s 7 virtues are one of the most poplar Kanji tattoos that are simple yet have deep meanings.
→7 Virtues of Bushido Codes Virtues for Kanji Tattoo Design

Kanji symbols are often used to express/represent themes, values, mottos. convictions, ambitions, resolutions by writing them down on a paper, and placed on the wall to remind you these values and resolutions, etc every time you see it.

Why is Yojijukugo (4 Kanji idiom) is good for tattoo ideas?

Because they are; straight to the point, concise and neat, and have a nice ring to it. And there exists thousands of these 4 kanji compounds.

Find more tattoo idea with Yojijukugo here.

Japanese kanji phrase for ‘Carpe Diem’, meaning explained

This Japanese Kanji phrase consists of the 4 Kanji below

• 前 : Front
• 後 : Back
• 際 : Moment
• 断 : Break

Literal translation will be something like ‘Breaking both front and back moment’. In other words ‘Cut off the past and the future and focus everything on the present. This phrase is like Zen doctrine/ethic. We often drag the past behind us and worry about the future. Then anxieties arise. Your energy is deprived and you can’t focus on what is happening right now right here and you can’t get the results you want. If that is the case, stop worrying about the past and future, over which you have no control. You’d be much better off putting every energy you have now into what you are doing right now right here. Only then can you make things better.

Isao Aoki, a Japanese pro golfer, was saved by this Zen teaching when he’d been in the doldrums. Forget about the bad shots in the past,  not thinking about how many holes are left, just focusing only on every single shot that he is just about to make.

‘Live The Moment’ is often translated as 「今を生きる」(ima wo ikiru) . This phrase is made up of 5 letters and suitable for other body parts. The difference between these two is that  ima wo ikiru’ is more of colloquial and this idiom is more for writing in hanging scrolls or as such to express one’s strong convictions/resolutions.

No Machine Translations = No More Kanji Fail

Kanji are very tricky scripts and some people end up with wrong/awkward kanji tattoos. Without proper understanding of the Japanese language and writing systems(require the use of 3 different scripts),  simply putting together the kanji obtained from Kanji generators might lead to Kanji tattoo fail. Even a celebrity like Ariana Grande got it wrong. (I’m glad she’s got it fixed with the help of her tutor and she’s happy with that Japanese script tattoo)

7 Rings in Japanese is 七つの指輪. Had she consulted a native Japanese speaker, her tattoo would've looked like this. #Japaneselettertattoo #Kanjitattoo #Japanesewritingtattoo pic.twitter.com/V5V2tJ1HlV

— Yorozuya.tech (@TechYorozuya) August 21, 2021

For this reason, it is best to consult a native Japanese speaker beforehand whether the kanji actually conveys the meaning you have in mind. To help people get the right Japanese writing tattoos, I started this online store. All letters here at Yorozuya.tech are verified by a native Japanese speaker, and you can download the letters right after purchase.

Instant Download

There is a button to download the file right after checkout and no need to wait for me to send it to you. Then you just simply forward it to your favourite tattoo artist. The letters are 100% accurate and he/she does not need to know any Japanese. The file contains both calligraphy style and line art (Stencil).Stencil is what your tattoo artist must have to ink the tattoo as it serves as the outline to trace the artwork onto your skin.

Horizontal & Vertical Directions

Both horizontal and vertical direction is used in the Japanese wiring and therefore, all download files with ‘4 Letter Compounds‘ tag come with both horizontal and vertical layout for your convenience. Horizontal layout is suitable for your finger/knuckle tattoo and inner bicep tattoo while vertical layout is for arm (tricep, shoulder and sleep) tattoo. (Please see the examples above) It starts from left to right for horizontal lines whereas it is top to bottom for vertical lines.

NOTE : The letters DO NOT NEED TO BE MIRRORED, they should appear just as it appears on the print-out.

↓Click the image below

PDF or JPG?

As a rule of thumb,

• jpg for fingers, behind the ear
• pdf for arms, chest, shoulder, and other body parts

The 4 scripts in any download files with ‘4 Letter Compounds‘ tag are approximately fits within a 2cm (0.8inch) x 8cm (3.14inch) frame or slightly bigger and, in general,  this size is suitable for finger tattoos and behind the ear tattoo.

If you need to make it bigger for arms, chest, and other body parts, please select the pdf as it is illustrator-editable and resize-friendly. Your tattoo artist can make it bigger without the outline getting blurry.

Nevertheless, please check with the example files.

• jpg: Medium Resolution 
• pdf: Illustrator Editable

If you are happy with the size of the letters (generally for fingers and behind the ear) and do not need to make it bigger, then the “jpg” is fine. But if you are looking to make it bigger or change the layout, positions, colours etc, then select the “pdf” just to be on the safe side as it is fully customisable to your likings. It might also be less work for your tattoo artist and cost less. (Please check with your tattoo artist)

3 different styles

You have 3 writing styles to choose from for this design.

each style gives different impressions and I have summarised in the gallery above.

How to order

Just simply tick your preferred style and hit the ‘purchase’ button. You have 3 writing styles to choose from for this design. Each style gives different impressions. In a nutshell,

• Style 1: Elegant, Delicate
• Style 2: Chic, Sophisticated
• Style 3: Earnest, Sincere