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Please identify this language and this word/sentence:

zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
edited April 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I see this bit of writing every day on my walks/runs, written on some concrete under an overpass:

curiousq.jpg

Pardon my MSpaint hack, but it's pretty darn close to what's written.
Can anyone tell me what language this is, and what it says?
For no reason other than to sate my curiosity.

zhen_rogue on

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    SpherickSpherick Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Pretty sure its Japanese - no idea what it says though

    Spherick on
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    Brodo FagginsBrodo Faggins Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    It's Japanese, and it says Ni Hon Sa Shi Ka (the fifth one might be off). No idea what it means, but Ni Hon means "Japan".

    Brodo Faggins on
    9PZnq.png
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    Unearthly StewUnearthly Stew Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Looks like mandarin/kanji to me. The first two are "Ri" "Ben." They would be spoken together like "Riben" which is Japan. I don't recognize the next two. Could be a "kai" that is missing a line on the bottom and a backwards "xin." Which could be something like open heart (it might have a compound meaning, but I don't have my dictionary on hand.) The second to last one is "ban," I think, which means power. The last one is probably a "le" which is a structural particle indicating a status change/completion.

    There are people who are much more knowledgeable at Chinese on these boards. Quid might be able to help you out.

    Edit: Those are the mandarin pronunciations.

    Edit 2: I looked up "kaixin," and apparently there's a term "kaixinwanr," which could be what you've got there. It basically means to feel relief/not anxious. Kai can be substituted with kuan if this is the case.

    Unearthly Stew on
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    GreeperGreeper Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'd say it's japanese, the first two mean 'japan', the next four are katakana, probably: 'sakka'.

    So the phrase means "Japan soccer."

    My confidence in my answer is 97%.

    Greeper on
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    zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Updated picture, possibly more clear/accurate?

    curioush.jpg

    zhen_rogue on
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    Unearthly StewUnearthly Stew Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Greeper wrote: »
    I'd say it's japanese, the first two mean 'japan', the next four are katakana, probably: 'sakka'.

    So the phrase means "Japan soccer."

    My confidence in my answer is 97%.

    Ah, that has to be it. http://japanese.about.com/blkatakana4.htm

    I have no idea what that downward stroke would be though.

    Unearthly Stew on
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    GreeperGreeper Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Unearthly Stew wrote: »
    Greeper wrote: »
    I'd say it's japanese, the first two mean 'japan', the next four are katakana, probably: 'sakka'.

    So the phrase means "Japan soccer."

    My confidence in my answer is 97%.

    Ah, that has to be it. http://japanese.about.com/blkatakana4.htm

    I have no idea what that downward stroke would be though.

    Katakana thing... the long vowel dash. It's the same as the horizontal stroke in your link, but it goes down when nihonese is written vertically.

    Greeper on
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    MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    The downward stroke means you stretch out the vowel in "ka". So its like "kaaaa"

    MagicToaster on
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    NisiNisi Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    サッカー

    Agreed on that it likely is Japan Soccer.

    Nisi on
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    NostregarNostregar Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Just throwing in my opinion to agree with everyone else. Nihon Sakkaa / Japan Soccer.

    Nostregar on
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    zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thanks all, appreciate the translation!

    zhen_rogue on
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    Captain VashCaptain Vash Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Considering it is graffiti, I propose an alternate translation;


    JAPAN SUCKAAA!

    Captain Vash on
    twitterforweb.Stuckens.1,1,500,f4f4f4,0,c4c4c4,000000.png
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    ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited April 2009
    Greeper wrote: »
    I'd say it's japanese, the first two mean 'japan', the next four are katakana, probably: 'sakka'.

    So the phrase means "Japan soccer."

    My confidence in my answer is 97%.
    Agreed.

    ceres on
    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
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