Traslation and Japanese ideogram style

Hi guys,

I need some help from experts :)

It is going to sound weird but I need the translation of this: "DESTROY WHAT DESTROYS YOU"

Hopefully, someone can help me translating this in the most appropriate Japanese ideogram style.

Thank youuuu

By idiogram I assume you mean "kanji" writing? I don't think there is a way to write it in "Japanese" using only kanji, as full sentences (such as this one) requires other writing including hiragana, which is a set of phonetic letters.

Hi!

I think that sentence mean "殺られる前に殺れ" in Japanese.

It's very difficult to put into one of the Kanji.

But, there is a four-character idiomatic compounds in Japan.
We call it "四字熟語 (yoji jukugo)".

"DESTROY WHAT DESTROYS YOU" = "殺られる前に殺れ" = "先手必勝"

Sorry for my poor English.
I'm still on my way to learning it.
Please correct if I mistake.

The first suggestion 殺られる前に殺れ by Megumi says "kill before you get killed" in a somewhat vulgar way (IMHO), using a particular word for "kill," suggesting pre-emptive attack.

I wonder if you, Giulia, mean to say that?

And the last one 先手必勝 (more like "first movers win"), is that what you want to say?

You have a point there, but meaning of Kanji is not the one.

The Kanji "殺" mean not only "kill" but also "destroy" and "ruin".

If you feel too direct when use it, you should write in hiragana "やられる前にやれ".

"DESTROY WHAT DESTROYS YOU" is I had an image of such a scene that someone(or something) is just about to attack you. So you have to attack first. I thought so.

How about "やられらたやり返せ" ?
What do you think, AK?

Did I say something wrong again? If I did, I'm sorry.

I changed my name from Megumi to Mimmin.

あなたを滅ぼすものを滅ぼせ（やられる前にやれ）
Dont know if this is really correct

Minmim/Megumi,

You said nothing wrong. It is just that when people come and ask for translation, of a short phrase in particular, there are many ways to interpret it, that I want to make sure that what is suggested is in line with what the Original Poster intended to say.

What I am saying is using the word "yaru" with the kanji 殺る to say "kill" is a somewhat vulgar way of saying it, for one thing, and the English says nothing about destroying "before" you get attacked.

The English phrase, in my mind, is more of a philosophical nature, surround yourself with things that inspire you, but get away from (and possibly destroy) things that are harmful/not good for you.

So the last one you suggested (retaliation) is not what I thought of either. But I don't know what OP had in mind.

Since that phrase can be interpreted differently, I just want to be sure, that OP knows exactly what phrase he is getting :)

AK,

Thank you very much for explaining it in detail.

Thank you very much everyone.

My idea for the sentence is exactly what you said. A philosophical idea of avoiding everything that can hurt me and if there is something bad in you life.. just destroy it.

Don't know if that make sense to you

Is this for a tattoo?

Yes :)

Somewhat relieved to know that you meant nothing really combative. I was thinking that IF you ever wore that as a tattoo, that would be pretty provocative (and could get you into trouble).

There is one proverb that is (of a different tone, though) that is translated as "a wise man keeps away from danger," and equivalent English proverbs would be: "Discretion is the better part of valor," or "Better be safe than sorry," or "The wise man does not tempt Providence," etc.

君子危うきに近寄らず

You see, a sentence like this cannot be written only with "kanji," the idiogram. And seeing that it needs to be done in a calligraphy styling (not textbook font please, that looks so un-cool), which of course requires native speaker calligrapher to figure out the right flowing style, and the meaning/interpretations can be varied, I would not recommend any tattoo in a language that you do not fully understand, and on top of it use something from anonymous internet users like ourselves :)

Thank you for your advice.

However, my aim was to create a provocative tattoo, not to get in trouble.
I got a lot of ideas thanks to all your responses.

P.S. you do not have to worry. I will certainly double/ triple check the translations before doing an actual tattoo.