Monkey Wall Scroll in Chinese / Japanese...

木猴 is Wood Monkey in Chinese.

In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1884, 1944, 2004, and 2064.

In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 甲申.

See Also:  Monkey

火猴 is Fire Monkey in Chinese.

In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1896, 1956, 2016, and 2076.

In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 丙申.

See Also:  Monkey

土猴 is Earth Monkey in Chinese.

In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1908, 1968, 2028, and 2088.

In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊申.

See Also:  Monkey

金猴 is Golden/Metal Monkey in Chinese.

In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1920, 1980, 2040, and 2100.

In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 庚申.

See Also:  Monkey

水猴 is Water Monkey in Chinese.

In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1872, 1932, 1992, and 2052.

In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 壬申.

See Also:  Monkey

醉猴 is the short title for Drunken Monkey (often used as a title for a style of martial arts or kung fu which mimics the movements of a drunk monkey).

This martial arts style was inspired by the novel, “Journey to the West.”

See Also:  Monkey Fist

酔い猿 is the Japanese title for Drunken Monkey.

See Also:  Monkey Fist

醉猴功夫 is the title for Drunken Monkey Kung Fu (Gong Fu).

The martial arts style was inspired by the novel, “Journey to the West.”

See Also:  Monkey Fist

長城 is the Chinese name for the Great Wall.

Built at the northern border of China to protect from Mongol attack.

Notes:
In Japanese, this can be a surname Nagaki. Japanese often use a longer title for the Great Wall of China.
In Korean, this refers to Changsŏng (a city in Changsŏng-kun county, Chŏllanam-to province).

万里の長城 is the Japanese name for the Great Wall of China.

猿 is one of those cases when an error was made as Chinese characters were absorbed into the Japanese language during the 5th century.

In Japanese, this means monkey.
In Chinese, this means ape.

The Japanese word for ape means monkey in Chinese, so you can see how they were simply reversed.

猿拳 is the Japanese martial arts title, “Monkey Fist,” referring to Monkey-Style Kung Fu.

猿拳 is very similar to a Chinese term that uses a different first character (the characters for ape and monkey were reversed when Japan borrowed Chinese characters, so this would be “Ape Fist” if a Chinese person read it).

美猴王 is the specific title for “Monkey King.”

A character made famous by the ancient novel Journey to the West.

It literally means “Handsome/Beautiful Monkey King.”

See Also:  Monkey Fist | Drunken Monkey

猴王 is the short title for “Monkey King.” This can refer to the character made famous by the ancient novel Journey to the West.

This literally reads “Monkey King.” However, this title is open to interpretation and could be used for someone who is the boss of the primate exhibit at the zoo or certain characters in Chinese opera.

See Also:  Monkey Fist | Drunken Monkey

猴子偷桃 is a martial arts term that I find hilarious. I thought Stephen Chow had made this up for his Monkey King movie. After some research, it turns out to be real.

This can be translated as “monkey stealing peaches” or “monkey steals the peach.” It refers to distracting an opponent with one hand and seizing his testicles with the other.

In colloquial Chinese speech, this can refer to grabbing somebody by the balls (without any martial arts technique to the grabbing).

猴拳 literally means what you think, it's the “Monkey Fist” school of Kung Fu. A style that mimics the punches and movements of monkeys and apes.

Becoming popular during the Qing Dynasty, this style can trace its origins back to as early as the Song Dynasty. Some of the romance and popularity of this style comes from the novel “Journey to the West” which features the Monkey King and his fighting skills.

This novel and martial arts style has spawned a stream of Hong Kong movies featuring the Monkey King and other Kung Fu style variations such as “Drunken Monkey” and “Monkey Stealing Peaches” (a technique of disabling your opponent by grabbing and yanking on his testicles).

Note: This kind of makes sense in Korean Hanja and Japanese Kanji but probably unknown by all Koreans and Japanese except those who have an interest in this form of Kung Fu.

面壁九年 is a Buddhist term that means “facing a wall for nine years.”

This refers to the Bodhidharma who stared at a wall in meditation at the Shaolin Temple (or in a cave) for nine years until reaching full enlightenment.

This means wild monkey in Japanese.

Also refers to a 1970 Japanese film of the same name.

猴 is the monkey character in Chinese.
猴 means ape in Japanese due to an error made long ago as Japan absorbed Chinese characters.

If you were born in the year of the monkey, you . . .

Are smart, brave, active, and competitive.
Like new things.
Have a good memory.
Are quick to respond
Have an easy time winning people's trust.
Are, however, not very patient.

See also our Chinese Zodiac page.

Note: This character does have the meaning of monkey in Korean Hanja but is not used very often.