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What does it say on my Maneki Neko?
Hello, I got "beckoning cat" a few months ago and I was wondering if anyone can translate the writing on it's arm and the thing it's holding to English.
I believe it's Japanese writing. I'm really not sure, though. Please excuse my ignorance!
Here's a link to the photo. I hope it's not too blurry http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss331/wemetinpi...
Thanks!
3 Answers
- bryan_qLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
It's callled a 招財貓 in Chinese.
These are almost always used in Chinese, Japanese or possibly Korean stores.
What's on the cat is almost always either 一万両, "10000 taels" or 千万両 "10000000 taels" on the sign below on of the paws. This is a special one: It also has 招財進寶 in Traditional Chinese under the left paw:
一万 = 10000 in Simplified Chinese
千万 = 10000000 in Simplified Chinese
両, taels = Chinese currency in ancient times.
招財 = to beckon wealth
進寶 = "into the treasure", short for 進入寶庫, "To put into a vault or any place where money or treasures are stored."
Source(s): I'm Chinese - BuddhaLv 51 decade ago
As you know "Maneki neko" is Japanese.
It been around for a 300 years.
But the one in the picture is a Chinese imitation.
So one of the writing 招財進寶 is Chinese, means "wealth and fortune".
The other one 千万両 is Japanese. means 10,000,000 ryou. Ryou is an old Japanese currency basically saying a large fortune.
Have a fun!
Source(s): Native speaker