Advice on what Japanese to use

[Jeimuzu]

One of my Christmas presents that Santa brought to me was a very nice Ben Sherman chain with dog tag, the tag is currently blank and I'd like to get something in Japanese engraved on it (very handy that the script can be read vertically on these occassions).

As the chain was actually given to me by my mother she wanted to put "Love Mum" on it but didn't know what script should be used.

My sister got the following off someone and I've done a quick search to find that it looks correct.

愛毋 The font doesn't show but the central vertical stroke drops down below the bottom horizontal line (which you folks probably already know).

As I do, I did a double check and found that the 2nd kanji is a simplified version of this 母.

Basically, I'd just like advice on which I should use, looking at translation tools like Google and JED they point to the latter with the two strokes so I'm more inclined to go with the 'official' way so my dog tag will be like this 愛母.

Also, I'm thinking of getting my name put on the rear side of the tag where there's a little more room, found the following.

ジェームズ
ジェイムズ

Not sure which one fits better.

[Paul]

First off the kanji as you have written there would probably not be understood in the manner that it would be said in English. Love Mom in Japanese would be 私はお母さんが大好きです, which would be "I love Mom". There are often times problems when people get things like this, maybe a tattoo or something printed on a shirt, the Japanese doesnt make sense as written.

You might want to reconsider how you write it. As people get back to work this week I am sure others will chip in their thoughts as well.

[Jeimuzu]

"Love from Mum" is what I'm looking for but as space is limited (2cm max) I was trying to find a way that would make sense from the least amount of script.

[moolooman]

Surely just by putting 'Mum' on it, you are showing the love. The sailors only ever had "Mum" tatooed on their arms didn't they?

[Paul]

"Love from Mum" is what I'm looking for but as space is limited (2cm max) I was trying to find a way that would make sense from the least amount of script.

母からの愛, is love from mother

母の愛, is mother's love.

[Jeimuzu]

Cheers Paul, the first one is what I was looking for though I've a feeling it'll be too long so I may have to choose the second one.

Mooloo, I can't help you with the sailors and their tat's, I always thought it was a comedy thing only seen in movies/comic strips.

[moolooman]

I know a sailor who has the tat. I thank you.

[Paul]

He's right about the sailors and tat's thing. Goes back centuries I do believe when Pirates used to tattoo their gf's, names, or Mom, somewhere on their bodies.

[jeisensei]

There is a word in Japanese "oya-koukou" (親孝行) that means filial piety but it actually has the same feeling as love from someone. So maybe, 母孝行 would be good? Just throwing ideas out there. And by the way your name looks better with the イ.

[Jeimuzu]

This could all be for nought in the end as I've tried a few places and it seems that engraving is now done by machines these days. Problem is that they only work with the bog standard alphabet and aren't programmable for other languages.

Whatever happened to engraving by hand?

Jei, thanks for the info and I admit that I did like my name with イ as it does look better.

[jeisensei]

Jei, thanks for the info and I admit that I did like my name with イ as it does look better.

My full name is Jason so we are in the same boat when it comes to looking better with the イ and not being able to kanji-fy our names because of that damn ェ

[jessen100]

my former kouchou has kanjified jesse but just left the small ェ in there after the "ji" kanji. i like it, but it throws some people for a loop. he also made the "se" syllable into 海　うみ because in english its sea, and the same pronunciation. that part is more confusing for some. I like it.

so he made it into...
侍ェ海

a bit funny but what can you do.

[himitsu]

haha, I doubt any Jp. can read that ^^

[jessen100]

plenty of people have, i mean they already knew my name, and were like oh ok so thats jesse. but like i said, not everybody.

[jeisensei]

Hah Awesome

I have had my name kanji-fied as 自江井村　倶欄戸　It works because of the tiny 江　

[Paul]

a bit funny but what can you do.

The easy answer for this is to ask someone who is Chinese to write your name in kanji. As many know Chinese has no kana and everything is kanji, to have it be read in Japanese however you would need to use furigana, but don't be surprised if some could read it as is.

[himitsu]

plenty of people have, i mean they already knew my name, and were like oh ok so thats jesse. but like i said, not everybody.

ask a few who don't know it

[Jeimuzu]

Hah Awesome

I have had my name kanji-fied as 自江井村　倶欄戸　It works because of the tiny 江　

Heh, you'd have to go around with a personalised stamp as that would take an age to write.

[jeisensei]

Heh, you'd have to go around with a personalised stamp as that would take an age to write.

Walking around with the stamp is not hard in this country because everyone has to have at least one any way (I think I have three for various purposes...bank, official one for my town, one that was suppose to be an official one for my last town but it didn't fit in with the guidelines so I had to make an other one), but the hard part would be getting a stamp maker to make the tiny 江 hah

[moolooman]

In my year and a half tenure as hotel management in China, I had to sign about 200 things a day in the Chinese name my boss had given me. Took for ever. Never forget it though.

[himitsu]

everyone has to have at least one any way

Not really, have never had one in my 5y here..

[jeisensei]

Not really, have never had one in my 5y here..

How the hell did you open a bank account? Signatures just don't cut it for that here.

[himitsu]

err.... did for me! Have a saving account at the post office and a normal one at shinsei. Maybe major banks don`t accept signatures, I don`t know..

[jeisensei]

Maybe major banks don`t accept signatures, I don`t know..

Maybe you are just in a more "cultured" part of Japan than me. You should get a hanko any way. They are way cool :p

[himitsu]

I`m in Osaka, lived in Okinawa as well though, for a bit.
Nah, as long as I don`t really need it, I won`t, troublesome to carry with me, and to go to a shop, order it, pay over 2000y...

[moolooman]

Don't be a wanko and get a hanko

[Paul]

Not really, have never had one in my 5y here..

How the hell did you open a bank account? Signatures just don't cut it for that here.

Depends upon the bank. Many banks now a days allow their foreign customers to use their signature when opening accounts and transacting business with them. The other option as well is to go to a 100 yen shop and pick out a cheap hanko that is "close" to your name too.

There is no need to register your hanko for opening a bank account either, in fact kana hanko's are perfectly fine as well. I have two in kana.

btw here is Paul in Chinese kanji.....保羅 Yet Japanese can read it as Po-ru　ポール

[Jeimuzu]

Don't be a wanko and get a hanko

[pakalikaPakalika]

my former kouchou has kanjified jesse but just left the small ェ in there after the "ji" kanji. i like it, but it throws some people for a loop. he also made the "se" syllable into 海　うみ because in english its sea, and the same pronunciation. that part is more confusing for some. I like it.

so he made it into...
侍ェ海

a bit funny but what can you do.

I just asked one of my teachers about it and she said it should be like this 寺ェ海

[himitsu]

hm, don't know the onyomi of samurai.. (侍)