English Translation of Chinese Charm Inscriptions
Listed below are many of the most common
Chinese character (symbol) inscriptions (legends) found on Chinese
charms.
The first column shows the inscription or legend that appears on the charm.
For reference purposes, the second column is the same inscription written in "simplied" Chinese.
The third column provides the pronunciation using the pinyin romanization system used in China.
The fourth column is the English translation.
For assistance in how to read inscriptions and legends on Chinese coins and charms, please see Guide to Reading Chinese Characters (Symbols).
The first column shows the inscription or legend that appears on the charm.
For reference purposes, the second column is the same inscription written in "simplied" Chinese.
The third column provides the pronunciation using the pinyin romanization system used in China.
The fourth column is the English translation.
For assistance in how to read inscriptions and legends on Chinese coins and charms, please see Guide to Reading Chinese Characters (Symbols).
| Charm Inscription |
Simplified Chinese |
Pronunciation |
Translation |
| 金玉滿堂 | 金玉满堂 | jin yu man tang | May gold and jade fill your
house (halls) |
| 金銀滿堂 |
金银满堂 | jin yin man tang |
May gold and silver fill your
house (halls) |
| 長命富貴 |
长命富贵 | chang ming fu gui |
Longevity, wealth and honor |
| 福如東海 |
福如东海 |
fu ru dong hai |
Fortune as vast as the East Sea |
| 壽比南山 | 寿比南山 | shou bi nan shan |
Longevity as great as the South
Mountain |
| 花生不老 |
花生不老 |
hua sheng bu lao |
The flower (mudan) grows without
getting old |
| 長生不老 | 长生不老 | chang sheng bu lao |
Long life without getting old |
| 長命百歲 |
长命百岁 |
chang ming bai sui |
Long life of 100 years |
| 萬壽無疆 |
万寿无疆 | wan shou wu jiang |
Long life without limit |
| 天下太平 | 天下太平 | tian xia tai ping |
Peace under heaven |
| 太平如 意 | 太平如 意 | tai ping ru yi |
May you have peace according to
your wishes |
| 長命百歲 |
长命百岁 |
chang ming bai sui |
Long life of 100 years |
| 長生不老 |
长生不老 |
chang sheng bu lao |
Live forever and never get old |
| 平安吉慶 |
平安吉庆 | ping an ji qing |
Peace and happiness |
| 五子登科 |
五子登科 | wu zi deng ke |
May your five sons achieve great
success in the imperial examinations |
| 喜報三元 |
喜报三元 | xi bao san yuan |
Good news of a triple first in
the imperial examinations |
| 嘉官進祿 |
嘉官进禄 | jia guan jin lu |
May office and salary be
bestowed upon you |
| 大位高升 |
大位高升 |
da wei gao sheng |
May you be promoted to a high
position |
| 一品當朝 |
一品当朝 |
yi pin dang chao |
(May you be) an official of the
first degree at the imperial court |
| 狀元及第 |
状元及第 |
zhuang yuan ji di |
(May you be) the first rank at
the examination for the Hanlin Academy |
| 天官賜福 |
天官赐福 | tian guan ci fu |
May the Ruler of Heaven bestow
good fortune |
| 妻財子祿 |
妻财子禄 | qi cai zi lu |
Wife, wealth, sons and emolument |
| 子孫萬代 |
子孙万代 |
zi sun wan dai |
Sons and grandsons 10,000
generations |
| 富貴昌樂 |
富贵昌乐 | fu gui chang le |
Riches and honor, prosperity and
happiness |
| 富貴長久 |
富贵长久 |
fu gui chang jiu |
Wealth and honor for a long time |
| 玉堂富貴 |
玉堂富贵 | yu tang fu gui |
Jade Hall (Hanlin Academy),
wealth and honor |
| 丁財貴壽 |
丁财贵寿 | ding cai gui shou |
May you acquire wealth, honor
(high rank) and longevity |
| 福壽 |
福寿 | fu shou |
Happiness and longevity |
| 雙全 |
双全 | shuang quan |
Both complete |
| 福壽雙全 | 福寿双全 | fu shou shuang quan |
Happiness and longevity both
complete |
| 元亨利貞 |
元亨利贞 | yuan heng li zhen |
Sign of the great sacrifice.
Auspicious omen. |
| 正德通寶 |
正德通宝 | zheng de tong bao |
Currency of correct virtue |
| 福祿壽 |
福禄寿 | fu lu shou |
Happiness, emolument and
longevity |
| 福祿壽喜 | 福禄寿喜 | fu lu shou xi |
Good fortune, emolument
(official salary), longevity and happiness |
| 福壽康寧 |
福寿康宁 |
fu shou kang ning |
Happiness, longevity, health and
composure |
| 壽福康寧 | 寿福康宁 | shou fu kang ning |
Longevity, happiness, health and
composure |
| 天長地久 |
天长地久 | tian chang di jiu |
As eternal and unchanging as the
universe |
| 招財進寶 |
招财进宝 |
zhao cai jin bao |
Money and treasures will be
plentiful. Attracts wealth and treasure. |
| 黄金萬两 | 黄金万两 | huang jin wan liang |
Ten thousand tael of gold. |
| 吉祥 |
吉祥 |
ji xiang |
Auspicious wish (good fortune) |
| 吉祥如意 |
吉祥如意 | ji xiang ru yi |
May your good fortune be
according to your wishes |
| 吉慶如意 |
吉庆如意 |
ji qing ru yi |
May your happiness be according
to your wishes |
| 大吉大利 | 大吉大利 | da ji da li |
Good luck |
| 長命大吉 |
长命大吉 | chang ming da ji |
Longevity and good luck |
| 上上大吉 | 上上大吉 | shang shang da ji |
The very best of good luck |
| 一本萬利 |
一本万利 |
yi ben wan li |
Small investment brings big
(10,000 fold) profit |
| 官煞消除 |
官煞消除 |
guan sha xiao chu |
Dispel life's crises |
| 去殃除凶 |
去殃除凶 |
qu yang chu xiong |
Warding off disasters and evils |
| 辟兵莫當 |
辟兵莫当 |
bi bing mo dang |
Invulnerable to weapons |
| 辟邪迎瑞 |
辟邪迎瑞 |
bi xie ying rui |
Ward off evil influences and
receive auspicious omens |
| 驅邪辟惡 |
驱邪辟恶 |
qu xie bi e |
Drive away evil spirits |
| 發福生財 |
发福生财 | fa fu sheng cai |
Be in good health and become
wealthy |
| 堆金積玉 |
堆金积玉 |
dui jin ji yu |
Accumulate wealth |
| 日入千金 |
日入千金 |
ri ru qian jin |
Earn a thousand gold daily |
| 花前月下 | 花前月下 | hua qian yue xia |
In front of the flowers and
under the moon. (Falling in love among flowers in the moonlight) |
| 龜鶴齊壽 |
龟鹤齐寿 |
gui he qi shou |
Live as long as the tortoise and
the crane |
| 龜齡鶴壽 |
龟龄鹤寿 |
gui ling he shou |
Live as long as the tortoise and
the crane |
| 驅邪降福 |
驱邪降福 |
qu xie jiang fu |
Expel evil and send down good
fortune |
| 降福避邪 | 降福避邪 | jiang fu bi xie |
Send down good fortune and keep
away evil |
| 諸神回避 |
诸神回避 |
zhu shen hui bi |
Evade all the spirits |
| 出入平安 |
出入平安 |
chu ru ping an |
May your coming and going be in
peace |
| 水陸平安 |
水陆平安 |
shui lu ping an |
May you have peace by land and
water (I wish you a safe journey) |
| 龍鳳成祥 |
龙凤成祥 |
long feng cheng xiang |
Prosperity brought by the dragon
and phoenix. Dragon and phoenix become a good
omen. May you have excellent good fortune. |
| 順風大吉 |
顺风大吉 | shun feng da ji |
May you have a favorable wind
and good luck |
| 一帆風順 |
一帆风顺 |
yi fan feng shun |
May you have favorable winds in
your sails |
| 和合如意 |
和合如意 |
he he ru yi |
May you have a harmonious union
with all your wishes fulfilled |
| 事事如意 |
事事如意 |
shi shi ru yi |
May things go as you wish |
| 萬事如意 |
万事如意 |
wan shi ru yi |
May things go as you wish.
May everything go smoothly. |
| 忠君孝親 |
忠君孝亲 | zhong jun xiao qin |
Be loyal to the sovereign and
honor one's parents |
| 敬兄愛第 |
敬兄爱第 | jing xiong ai di |
Revere older brothers and love
younger brothers |
| 花萼雙輝 |
花萼双辉 | hua e shuang hui |
Petals and sepals both shine |
| 永安五男 |
永安五男 |
yong an wu nan |
Perpetual peace to five sons |
| 五男二女 |
五男二女 |
wu nan er nu |
Five sons and two daughters |
| 福延壽長 |
福延寿长 |
fu yan shou chang |
Unbounded fortune and longevity |
| 千秋萬歲 |
千秋万岁 |
qian qiu wan sui |
A thousand autumns and ten
thousand years |
| 田蠶萬倍 |
田蚕万倍 | tian can wan bei |
May your (rice) fields and
silkworms increase 10,000 times |
| 人壽年豐 |
人寿年丰 |
ren shou nian feng |
May the people enjoy a long life
and may the harvests be bountiful |
| 義出肺腑 |
义出肺腑 | yi chu fei fu |
Righteousness comes from the
bottom of one's heart |
| 本命星官 |
本命星官 |
ben ming xing guan |
The Star Official of Dominant
Vitality |
| 本命星神 |
本命星神 |
ben ming xing shen |
The Star God of Dominant Vitality |
| 本命元神 |
本命元神 |
ben ming yuan shen |
The Primal God of Dominant
Vitality |
| 福長德壽 |
福长德寿 |
fu chang de shou |
Extensive fortune, virtue and
longevity |
| 張天師 |
张天师 |
zhang tian shi |
The Celestial Master Zhang |
| 生財有道 |
生财有道 |
sheng cai you dao |
Knowing how to make money |
| 阿彌陀佛 |
阿弥陀佛 |
a mi tuo fo |
May Buddha protect |
| 慈悲方寸 | 慈悲方寸 | ci bei fang cun |
Compassionate heart |
| 且空藏棄 |
且空藏弃 | qie kong zang qi |
Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva |
| 同心合意 |
同心合意 |
tong xin he yi |
Of one mind |
| 大宋金錢 |
大宋金钱 | da song jin qian |
Great Song (dynasty) metal
(gold) money |
| 唐將千裡 |
唐将千里 | tang jiang qian li |
Tang (dynasty) General 1,000 li |
| 貞觀十驥 |
贞观十骥 | zhen guan shi ji |
10 thoroughbreds of Zhen Guan (reign of Tang Dynasty
Emperor Taizong) |
| 五福捧壽 |
五福捧寿 |
wu fu peng shou |
Five fortunes surround longevity (usually 5 bats surround shou 寿) |
| 五福臨門 |
五福临门 |
wu fu lin men |
May the five fortunes arrive at
your door |
| 五福和合 |
五福和合 |
wu fu he he |
May you have harmony and the
five fortunes (usually 5 bats surround box 盒) |
| 九如三多 |
九如三多 |
jiu ru san duo |
jiu
ru: May you be as the mountains and the hills, as the
greater and the lesser heights, as the streams which flow in all
directions, having the constancy of the moon, like the rising sun, with
the longevity of the southern mountain, and the green luxuriance of the
fir and the cypress. san duo: May you have an abundance of blessings, abundance of years, and abundance of offspring. |
| 永保壽考 |
永保寿考 | yong bao shou kao |
To protect eternally and to
enjoy a long life |
| 松菊猶存 |
松菊犹存 |
song ju you cun |
The pine tree and the
chrysanthemum outlast (all things) |
| 松鶴長春 |
松鹤长春 |
song he chang chun |
May your longevity be like that
of cranes and pines |
| 麒麟送子 |
麒麟送子 |
qi lin song zi |
The qilin (Chinese unicorn) presents
sons |
| 三仙 |
三仙 |
san xian |
Three Immortals |
| 宋騎 |
宋骑 | song qi |
a rider of the Song (dynasty) |
| 渠黃 |
渠黄 | qu huang |
Great Yellow |
| 驃裊 |
骠袅 | piao niao |
Fast and slender |
| 烏騅 |
乌骓 | wu zhui |
Black spotted horse |
| 訣波 |
诀波 | jue bo |
Bursting as a wave |
| 雷霆雷霆殺鬼降精 斬妖辟邪永保 太上老君急如律令 |
雷霆雷霆杀鬼
降精 斩妖辟邪永保 太上老君急如律令 |
lei ting lei ting sha gui jiang
jing zhan yao bi xie yong bao tai shang lao jun ji ru lu ling |
God of Thunder thunderbolts,
God of Thunder
thunderbolts, kill the ghosts
and send down purity. Behead the demons, expel the evil and keep us eternally safe. Receive this command from Lao Zi (Tai Shang Lao Jun) and let it be executed as fast as Lu Ling. |
