Meanings

folding into four

one four-of-a-kind and one three-of-a-kind in a dealt hand

firstly vision, secondly footwork, thirdly courage, fourthly technique (the most important aspects of kendo)

four gratitudes (to one's parents, all living beings, one's sovereign and the Three Jewels)

the four Fujiwara families

Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, Water Margin, and The Plum in the Golden Vase)

four times (as much)

four characters

four generations

quarter

the four top party executives (of the LDP)

equality for the four classes (early Meiji-period slogan)

four-fold hardship

April 16 incident (arrests of communists and members of other anti-government groups; 1929)

Shijō school of Japanese painting (late Edo period)

fourth-class mail

four kinds

Shimonoseki campaign (1863-1864)

four-color problem

Four Great Inventions (of China: the compass, gunpowder, papermaking and printing)