Beloved in Chinese / Japanese...

Any woman with affection for Asian art will love a gift of this Chinese proverb calligraphy on a wall scroll.

She will melt in your arms as you tell her the meaning of these characters.

Contained in this phrase is a reference to the most beautiful woman in Chinese history. Her name was Xi Shi, and she was known to have good looks that need not have fine robes or makeup. Her charms were so powerful that she brought down an entire kingdom (in a successful effort to bring honor and pride back to her people).

情人眼里出西施 is a great way to express that the woman in your life is your one love.

美しさは見る人の目の中にある means “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” in Japanese.

Japanese grammar and word order are different than English, but I will partially break this down for you:
美しさ = Beauty
は = is/relates
見る = to look/see
人の = person's
目の = eye's
中にあ = inside
る = !

Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

愛嬢 means “beloved daughter” in Japanese Kanji.

愛子 means “beloved son” in Chinese and Japanese.

While it could refer to a child in general (in Japanese), it's usually reserved or expected to be a title for a male child (in Chinese).

This can also be a given name in Japanese romanized as Aiko or Yoshiko.

姻緣 means “Destiny that brings lovers together.” It can also be translated technically as “Predestined matrimonial affinity” (wow, talk about taking the romance out of this word - that was from the Oxford C-E dictionary).

This speaks to the fate (or karma) that brings a husband and wife together. I would translate this as “Together by fate” or “Joined by destiny” but in the context of marriage. You could use this for non-married lovers, but the first character has a suggestion that this refers to those that are married.

思戀 is a term used for when you miss a lover.

It suggests that you are separated (not by choice) and have longed for each other. It's a strong feeling of missing your lover.

戀人 means lover, sweetheart, or beloved in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This term is gender-neutral, so that anyone can use it.

In modern Japan and China, the first character has been simplified. We suggest the traditional version, as shown above if your audience is Chinese or Korean. However, this generation of Japanese are more likely to recognize the simplified version. If you want this simple (modern Japanese) version, please click on the image shown to the right, instead of the button above.

愛人 means lover, sweetheart, spouse, husband, wife, or beloved in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The first character means “love,” and the second means “person.”

This title can be used in many different ways, depending on the context. Husbands and wives may use this term for each other. But, if you change the context, this title could be used to mean “mistress.” It's pretty similar to the way we can use “lover” in many different ways in English.

In modern Japan, this lover title has slipped into the definition of mistress and is not good for a wall scroll.

情人 means lover, sweetheart, or beloved in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.

This term is gender-neutral so anyone can use it.

Please note that this term can easily be read or used to mean “mistress” or the kind of lover you have an affair with (especially in Japanese). The context in which this word is used affects the actual meaning. Husbands and wives or boyfriends and girlfriends can also use this term for each other with no ill meaning.

掌上明珠 is a Chinese proverb that literally means “a pearl in the palm.”

Figuratively, this is used to describe, or as a title for, a beloved person. This can especially apply to a daughter.