Please identify this language and this word/sentence:

zhen_rogue

I see this bit of writing every day on my walks/runs, written on some concrete under an overpass:



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.

Spherick

Pretty sure its Japanese - no idea what it says though

Brodo Faggins

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".

Unearthly Stew

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.

Greeper

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%.

zhen_rogue

Updated picture, possibly more clear/accurate?

Unearthly Stew

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.

Greeper

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.

MagicToaster

The downward stroke means you stretch out the vowel in "ka". So its like "kaaaa"

Nisi

サッカー

Agreed on that it likely is Japan Soccer.

Nostregar

Just throwing in my opinion to agree with everyone else. Nihon Sakkaa / Japan Soccer.

zhen_rogue

Thanks all, appreciate the translation!

Captain Vash

Considering it is graffiti, I propose an alternate translation;


JAPAN SUCKAAA!

ceres

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.