万事如意: May All Your Wishes Come True

What does 万事如意 mean?

万事如意 (wàn shì rú yì) is commonly translated as “may all your wishes come true” or “may everything go as you wish.” It is a traditional blessing used at New Year, birthdays, weddings and other celebratory occasions.

How to read the phrase

万事 refers broadly to many matters or everything; 如意 means as one wishes or according to one’s intent. The phrase is a set expression, so changing or omitting one character changes the wording.

Layout

Four-character blessings are usually set as a balanced 2×2 square or one horizontal line. A 2×2 layout needs a square canvas; a horizontal line needs a wider format. Keep the characters evenly spaced and avoid a narrow phone crop that separates the phrase.

What it does not mean

万事如意 expresses a hope, not a guarantee. It does not promise wealth, health, love or success, and it should not be presented as a spell or outcome contract.

Common mistakes

• Using a narrow format that breaks the four-character balance.
• Claiming the phrase guarantees good fortune.
• Mixing simplified and traditional characters within the same design.

Related blessings

万事 is broader than “wishes”

万事 refers to many matters, affairs or everything, not a list of individual wishes. 如意 means according to one's wishes or intention. The most natural English gloss is therefore “may everything go as you wish” or “may all matters go smoothly.” “May all your wishes come true” is a familiar translation, but it can make the phrase sound more like a promise about specific outcomes than it is.

How it compares with nearby blessings

事事如意 narrows the focus to every matter or every thing. 心想事成 says that what one hopes for comes to fruition. 万事胜意 goes further by wishing that the outcome will exceed expectation. 万事如意 is the broad, conventional and polite choice; it does not claim that every hope will be fulfilled.

Etiquette and context

The phrase fits New Year greetings, birthdays, weddings, shop openings and other celebratory messages. It can sound formal or familiar depending on the card, tone and relationship. It is not normally used for condolences or serious misfortune. In business settings it should remain a blessing rather than a promise of profit, and it should never be presented as a spell or a guarantee of health, love or success.

Design notes

Four characters work as a balanced square or a horizontal line. The traditional form is 萬事如意; do not mix 万 and 萬 within one version. A ruyi motif can accompany the phrase, but the characters should remain the primary message. Keep even spacing and choose a script that does not blur the difference between 如 and 意.