What does this say?

[xist]

Well at least i'm guessing it's Chinese, as it was bought in China....anyone able to translate for me?

Edited thanks to Andman and Veho...

 

[Andman315]

I don't know what it says (failure as a Chinese person ), but I can say that it is upside down.

 

[Veho]

I think the picture/text is upside down. I don't know what it says though, sorry.

 

[Lanlan]

It says "DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE".

 

[xist]

It says "DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE".

EOF is that way ->>>

 

[Sicklyboy]

I think the picture/text is upside down. I don't know what it says though, sorry.

I don't think so. The third character, it always looks like a server rack. And it's standing up the way a server rack should

I also don't know how to read any eastern languages, so don't take my word for it. But I don't think it's upside down.

Edit - of course, the picture I saw calling that character a server rack was a joke (and I can't find it now) so it's a high chance I am wrong and talking out of my ass XD

 

[Cyan]

I looked in japanese instead of chinese.
I found two kanji which looked alike (maybe they are not the same, or maybe they are in a simplified form on your picture?)

今古 now and anciently
有 existence
神 god
奉 offer, present
志士 Patriot, public-spirited person

Of course, there's a lot of chance it's wrong

 

[pyromaniac123]

It means "silly western man buy cheap chinese crap".

 

[xist]

It means "silly western man buy cheap chinese crap".

Good thing for me i didn't buy it and it was given as a gift. I'll let the purchaser know of your disdain for their buying choices.

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

@[member='Densetsu']
@[member='Phoenix Goddess']
Your assistance is required.

 

[DS1]

I searched both Japanese and Chinese forums, and the majority of talk regarding this phrase was, "Durrr why does Tom Cruise's sword say this thing?!?!!?"*

志士 refers to imperial loyalists (cuz you know for a period of time Japan was ruled by warlords and the imperials lost power), so the sword likely refers to the 'spirits' (like shinto gods) siding with the imperial family.

edit- *referring to the Tom Cruise movie, the last samurai

 

[Hanafuda]

It's not upside down. It is Chinese. If it were Japanese, I might be able to help you. As with Cyan's post above, it's not that difficult to just find out the root meanings of the kanji characters - and they are generally the same in Japanese and Chinese - but it's the usage that makes it difficult. For example, in Japanese, the kanji that means "pull", along with the kanji that means "push", makes the words "drawer" as in a desk drawer. Unless you know this usage, just by looking up the root meanings all you'd be reading is push and pull.

Sorry.

 

[DS1]

It's not upside down. It is Chinese. If it were Japanese, I might be able to help you. As with Cyan's post above, it's not that difficult to just find out the root meanings of the kanji characters - and they are generally the same in Japanese and Chinese - but it's the usage that makes it difficult. For example, in Japanese, the kanji that means "pull", along with the kanji that means "push", makes the words "drawer" as in a desk drawer. Unless you know this usage, just by looking up the root meanings all you'd be reading is push and pull.

Sorry.

I've gotta go back to work, but just a quick little response - Japan used to use straight-up Chinese characters for everything because they didn't have their own writing system. Assuming the phrase existed outside the ambition of the director of 'The Last Samurai', it's a throwback to full Japanese phrases written in kanji. Depending on the time period, the grammar may have been different (like I know for sure this is neither modern chinese or japanese, and I know (mandarin) Chinese a bit better than Japanese).

edit - the characters themselves, though, are standard Japanese kanji (simplified chinese uses the same style, but the phrase is prob. pre-1900s, blah blah blah...

 

[Hanafuda]

It's not upside down. It is Chinese. If it were Japanese, I might be able to help you. As with Cyan's post above, it's not that difficult to just find out the root meanings of the kanji characters - and they are generally the same in Japanese and Chinese - but it's the usage that makes it difficult. For example, in Japanese, the kanji that means "pull", along with the kanji that means "push", makes the words "drawer" as in a desk drawer. Unless you know this usage, just by looking up the root meanings all you'd be reading is push and pull.

Sorry.

I've gotta go back to work, but just a quick little response - Japan used to use straight-up Chinese characters for everything because they didn't have their own writing system. Assuming the phrase existed outside the ambition of the director of 'The Last Samurai', it's a throwback to full Japanese phrases written in kanji. Depending on the time period, the grammar may have been different (like I know for sure this is neither modern chinese or japanese, and I know (mandarin) Chinese a bit better than Japanese).

edit - the characters themselves, though, are standard Japanese kanji (simplified chinese uses the same style, but the phrase is prob. pre-1900s, blah blah blah...

s'true, and after looking at it again, the image appears to be of the side of a blade(?). It's possible it's Japanese, but if it is it's like some formal statement or ancient proverb, as you said. But since OP says it was bought in China, I'm sticking with my original assumption.

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

Look familiar?

Apparently this is a replica of the "Last Samurai" sword
and according to the seller/movie, it supposedly says
"I belong to the warrior in whom the old ways have joined the new."

Here's another conversation regarding this etching, and the grammar related to it.

 

[Devin]

If anyone wants to give it a shot I also have some swords with writing on them.

Actually, the left one looks similar to your Xist. XD Besides the rust.

EDIT: Oh wow. Both are the same.

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

EDIT: Oh wow. Both are the same.

Actually, all four are the same.

 

[Devin]

EDIT: Oh wow. Both are the same.

Actually, all four are the same.

Four? Darn I got mine in a set of 3, along with red sheaths and a wooden holder for it.

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

Four?

I just mean the four that have been posted in this thread.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

Are the katana battle ready?