I Can't Read Kanji!!

[freemonkey]

I found this neat little chop (stamp) thingie today. But I can't read kanji so I don't know what it says. Can anyone help? I flipped it so it would not be reversed, but I'm not sure if I've got the orientation correct.

[godfry n. glad]

Plus, if the thumbnail is a picture of the chop itself, it's probably in mirror format.

You might want to scan a picture of the print the chop makes.

Then, I'd say it's a job for....wei yau!

[Qingdai]

I asked someone from PRC (I just happened to be at work and Chinese people are just wandering around) what it was and the said it's an ancient form of Chinese characters. You may have to talk to someone who is a classics scholar. Plus yes, it is backwards as Godfrey mentioned.

Kanji is a specific form of Japanese script, so "I can't read Classical Chinese Block characters" may be what you meant.
Cool chop, by the way.

[Ymir's blood]

Kanji evolved from Chinese characters though.

[godfry n. glad]

Yep...as Qinghai says, it's the ancient form.

Still...wei yau might be of some assistance. Chop chop, wei.

"Kanji" is becoming a USer means of referring to "Chinese characters", even though the term itself is Japanese. But, as noted, it is the Japanese term for their written characters based upon Chinese characters. USers are notoriously lazy folks, and will shorten anything they can.

Of course, the Chinese don't like much of anything related to the Japanese, so it'd probably be best not to use the term around them.

[Qingdai]

I've only heard of Kanji referring to Japanese characters, but hang around a bunch of Chinese speakers and their hangers on.

[freemonkey]

Interesting. I had flipped the photo, thinking it was backward, but since you say the original pic is backward, maybe its not a stamp.

I was not sure if it was Japanese, Chinese or something else, even. Is the Chinese term hanzi?

The carving on the thing seems more like the Japanese style, and I think its carved from some sort of resin. I thought it might be a little ink bottle/chop. Maybe its something else entirely, like a snuff or scent bottle. Maybe its just a crappy little souvenir thing. :(

Anyway, here it is unflipped, although it may be upside down or sideways. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out the orientation of things, but this one has me stumped:

[freemonkey]

Ah Ha! It is a snuff bottle. It is very similar to this one (http://cgi.ebay.com/CHINESE-CARVED-CINNABAR-SNUFF-BOTTLE-w-TOP_W0QQitemZ110190315381QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3914QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem), except for the shape (mine is vertically rectangular) and that mine is missing the stopper/stick. And I would not know how to tell if it was actual cinnabar.

[godfry n. glad]

freemonkey?

I agree with Qingdai that it looks to have very old, or even ancient style (it may well be a reproduction) of ideograms, so that modern users will find it inpenetrable.

If you go anywhere near the UW campus, and have any time to drop in, locate the Chinese studies offices, and visit there...well, you might find somebody who could help (if they'll give you the time).

If it is incised, it may have been used as a chop for sealing documents with wax.

[Qingdai]

Cinnabar is red and has a high mercury content. I am guessing you put up the bottom of the bottle?

Your box could be old, but it is more likely a reproduction. Hard to tell, since China puts so many reproductions on the market.

[freemonkey]

Cinnabar is red and has a high mercury content. I am guessing you put up the bottom of the bottle?
Yes. I'll try to get some good pics of it, if anyone's interested.

Your box could be old, but it is more likely a reproduction. Hard to tell, since China puts so many reproductions on the market.

You're probably right, I wouldn't even know how to tell. Its kinda neat though.

[Qingdai]

Enjoy the neatness, unless you were planning on making money on it. Not much of a call for snuff bottles this century, but I bet Camel will try to market it if they remember.
I would like to see a picture of it.

[Uthgar the Brazen]

Then, I'd say it's a job for....wei yau!

Bigoted assumptions ftw. Nice job. Next you might as well ask him what "wang chung" means.

Um, wei? What *does* 'wang chung' mean? Don't tell that I asked!
:psst:

[godfry n. glad]

Then, I'd say it's a job for....wei yau!

Bigoted assumptions ftw. Nice job. Next you might as well ask him what "wang chung" means.

Um, wei? What *does* 'wang chung' mean? Don't tell that I asked!
:psst:

Hey...be fair!

He did tell us he figured out his personal chop.

Sorta.

:dunno:

[Qingdai]

Wang Chung means there's a party tonight, right?:party:

I actually saw those losers in concert. Yes, it was as bad as you imagined.

[freemonkey]

I actually saw those losers in concert. Yes, it was as bad as you imagined.

They had enough songs for a concert?

Sorry I couldn't get pics today, I was gone all day and missed the natural light.

[Qingdai]

They had a tape recording long enough for a concert, then they "danced."

The horror, the horror.