Chinese Tattoos

Chinese tattoos are very popular at the moment, the designs of Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese characters can be very aesthetically pleasing. Another aspect to them in the West is that they can be a conversation piece. Most people do not read Chinese so they have to ask what a Chinese tattoo says, the person with the tattoo on their body can then explain the meaning of the symbols and tell the story behind it.

A word of caution though, it is a bit more complicated than getting English tattoos. If you do not speak Chinese make sure that the tattoo artist inks the correct characters.

There was an article in the paper recently which told the story of a teenager who got a Chinese tattoo on his arm which he thought read 'Love, honour and obey'. After visiting a Chinese restaurant one night he found out from the waitress that the actual translation of the Chinese symbols was 'At the end of the day, this is an ugly boy.' He was not sure why the tattoo artist did this to him but he paid £90 to have a permanent insult tattooed onto his arm.

The events in this story are not commonplace but it does highlight the point that you should check the Chinese characters are correct before proceeding with a tattoo. Do some research before you go and if possible ask a Chinese friend to help.

Although getting the correct Chinese symbols for the phrase you want your tattoo to say is important you should focus on how the design looks as well. After all you can view these designs as good tattoo art. Look at the different styles and sizes of character available and choose the Chinese tattoo that appears the best to you.