<p>It is “澗声”, which means the sound of the mountain stream.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T02:11:42.640Z
2014-01-05T02:11:42.640Z
Leo Liu
<p>Recently at an art gallery, I was introduced to some works of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Murakami" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Takashi Murakami</a>. On quite a few of his paintings were symbols which looked like Chinese, some sort of a seal perhaps. There was a painting I really liked and I took a snapshot</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/q99N4.jpg" alt=""></p>

<p>so we see three symbols and then what looks like a seal. This is just one corner of the huge painting. My question is, what are these symbols? What do they mean? Are they Chinese, Japanese, or Kanji? My guess is Chinese and hence the post here. Do they collectively have a meaning? Is there a meaning-in-context here perhaps because they are on a painting?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T03:01:14.357Z
The three vertical characters look like 法橋隆 and the seal is 澗声. I guess they are related to the title of the painting and the name of the painter.
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T03:05:13.310Z
@user58955 So how do you translate these characters into English? What do they say?
Fixed Point
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T03:35:33.203Z
As answered by Leo Liu below, 澗声 means the sound of mountain stream. I have no idea what 法橋隆 means holistically. It looks like a person's name.
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T06:33:42.110Z
`澗声` is just what @user58955 has explained (maybe it is the subject of the exhibition?). And in 法橋隆, [法橋](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/204466/m0u/%E6%B3%95%E6%A9%8B/) is a sort of title, and 隆 is the first name of the artist. You may have already noticed that, [Takashi Murakami](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Murakami), 村上隆, 村上(Murakami) is the surname, 隆(Takashi) is the first name.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T16:33:36.213Z
“澗声”或是别号？看意思又像是闲章。
Leo Liu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T01:25:57.427Z
@LeoLiu after doing some search, I'm sure it is the subject of the works. See this [link](http://huanghs.pixnet.net/blog/post/31654758-%E6%88%91%E7%9A%842011%E7%BE%85%E8%8A%99%E5%A5%A7%E5%8F%B0%E5%8C%97%E6%98%A5%E6%8B%8D%E3%80%8C%E6%9D%91%E4%B8%8A%E9%9A%86%E3%80%8D%E4%B9%8B%E5%A4%A2).
Stan
<translation><usage><meaning-in-context><characters>
Chinese symbols on a Murakami painting?
# Chinese symbols on a Murakami painting?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-05)

Recently at an art gallery, I was introduced to some works of [Takashi Murakami](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Murakami). On quite a few of his paintings were symbols which looked like Chinese, some sort of a seal perhaps. There was a painting I really liked and I took a snapshot

![](https://i.sstatic.net/q99N4.jpg)

so we see three symbols and then what looks like a seal. This is just one corner of the huge painting. My question is, what are these symbols? What do they mean? Are they Chinese, Japanese, or Kanji? My guess is Chinese and hence the post here. Do they collectively have a meaning? Is there a meaning-in-context here perhaps because they are on a painting?

**Tags:** translation, usage, meaning-in-context, characters

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The three vertical characters look like 法橋隆 and the seal is 澗声. I guess they are related to the title of the painting and the name of the painter.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 So how do you translate these characters into English? What do they say?  
> **username_1**: As answered by username_3 below, 澗声 means the sound of mountain stream. I have no idea what 法橋隆 means holistically. It looks like a person's name.  
> **username_2**: `澗声` is just what @username_1 has explained (maybe it is the subject of the exhibition?). And in 法橋隆, [法橋](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/204466/m0u/%E6%B3%95%E6%A9%8B/) is a sort of title, and 隆 is the first name of the artist. You may have already noticed that, [Takashi Murakami](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Murakami), 村上隆, 村上(Murakami) is the surname, 隆(Takashi) is the first name.  
> **username_3**: “澗声”或是别号？看意思又像是闲章。  
> **username_2**: @LeoLiu after doing some search, I'm sure it is the subject of the works. See this [link](http://huanghs.pixnet.net/blog/post/31654758-%E6%88%91%E7%9A%842011%E7%BE%85%E8%8A%99%E5%A5%A7%E5%8F%B0%E5%8C%97%E6%98%A5%E6%8B%8D%E3%80%8C%E6%9D%91%E4%B8%8A%E9%9A%86%E3%80%8D%E4%B9%8B%E5%A4%A2).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-01-05. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

It is “澗声”, which means the sound of the mountain stream.


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