Kanji Tattoos
Comments: 190
Folks, if you’re going to get a kanji tattoo, please be careful. Draw it on yourself first (or have a friend do it) and live with it for a while before you commit to the real thing. This is somebody else’s language you’re appropriating here andsome degree of familiarity with it will stand you in good stead.
Above all, make sure your tattooist understands how crucial the correct stroke order is when writing the character. Readers of kanji can tell immediately whether a character has been written with the correct stroke order or not, and incorrect order is akin to misspelling the word.
Coincidentally, the firt tattoo shown on the pages above is “Jun” – my daughter’s name:
I’ve bathed with yakuza, various chinpira and sundry other gang members in hot springs and public baths, and while lettering can be used as a component of larger designs (not usual), I’ve never seen a kanji tattoo like those above in Japan.
•••
Posted to General Rants • 2002.10.23 (Wed) • 17:15
Comments
Posted by teradome 2002.10.24, 00:34
Which is why I find kanji tattoos are incredibly tacky if it’s not your language or one you’ve studied. Most linguists would point out that languages are highly representative of the owner’s culture, so there are many nuances you won’t get unless you’ve spent some time examining it.
There’s also the nature of word tattoos in general: they are both labelling and branding. In “Night of the Hunter,” albeit only a movie, the sociopathic preacher has the words “LOVE” and “HATE” tattooed on his each of his hands respectively. It’s simple example of context: A heart with the word “MOM” on it probably means you love your Mom, whereas without the heart, most would assume you are a Mom.
Of course, most often people just see a pretty Asian symbol which they’re told means something and don’t question it too much — of course those same people end up with “DEPRESSION” tattooed on them…
Posted by al3x 2002.10.24, 00:41
While I’m quite aware that the kanji on my left arm (confirmed from two academic kanji databases and the former president Bush’s translator to be “future” or “moving from past life to future life) was not done in the correct stroke order, several native raders have been able to identify it. It wasn’t really “stroked” at all, but rather traced and filled in. It doesn’t have the flowing elegance of the kanji tats I saw in Japan, but that’s the price one pays for not getting your ink done there.
Good point about drawing it on for a couple weeks tho. And make sure you don’t mind being asked what it means ALL THE TIME (I started telling people it says “Metallica rocks”).
Posted by jh 2002.10.24, 13:38
I didn’t mean to sound peeved at the idea of kanji tattoos, just cautious! Hell, it’s your body: get whatever you want. Just some things to keep in mind.
The more calligraphic alphabets are beautiful, and I can understand their attraction. But for me the beauty of kanji has been proportional to my ignorance of them. These days I most often curse the bloody infuriating Chinese writing system as I try to puzzle through various meanings and pronunciations!
Al3x — a friend of mine said the same thing. Complete strangers would come up and ask the meaning. Not sure he ever responded with “Metallica Rocks!” though. What a scream.
Adam — There’s a great Leunig cartoon of a sad-looking guy getting a tattoo — “Born Looser” — and the tattooist says, “Jeez, sorry, mate. I spelled “Loser” wrong.” And the sad guy says merely, “Don’t worry about it, pal.”
After more than 10 years in Japan I’m still an embarrassingly poor speaker and reader of the language, struggling with nuance every single day. It’s one thing to come up with a ‘rough’ translation along the lines of “Native concept A roughly equals target language concept B” but another thing altogether (as I’m sure you know better than me) to bring nuance along for the ride as well.
Translation can be sort of like running an airline, I suppose: it’s relatively easy to get people from point A to point B but much harder to ensure that their baggage arrives along with them.
Teradome — Perhaps the attraction for foreign language tattoos comes from some kind of longing for “otherness” or an expansion out of one’s familiar (boring?) everyday realm? If so, then the idea is good but the reality is that there’s an awful lot of hard work involved as you mention to reach any sort of true understanding.
Posted by Jerry Kindall 2002.10.25, 06:58
As long as the Japanese are wearing clothing like this, I don’t think they have any room to get bent out of shape because some gaijin wants a kanji tattoo because it looks cool.
Posted by Kelly 2002.12.02, 05:21
Yeah, I’ve been wanting to get a kanji tattoo for awhile….but thats not what I want to talk about. Do people in asian countries get english words tattoo’d to themselves? Can you imagine walking the streets in Osaka and see a guy that has ‘Depression’ or ‘Big Daddy’ up and down his arm? I’ve always wondered that. Anyway, would it be better to get a kanji tattoo in Japan, because I could see some pros and cons in that. I mean pro: you get the right stoke order and makes more sense, but con: your a gaijin and they could mess up your life forever, and also the whole language barrier…I am studying japanese but ..i dunno…
Posted by jh 2002.12.02, 15:11
Sure, people get English words and phrases tattooed here. The ‘western style’ (for want of a better phrase — you know, things like “Mother” and love hearts and the classic designs) is definitely visible. You don’t see too much screwy English because the designs are often based on established work (copied from books or web sites or wherever) and also because the roman alphabet is a lot less foreign to Japanese than kanji are to Westerners (everyone studies English in school at some point).
Getting a tattoo in Japan would be an advantage if you were interested in getting one done traditionally (where the needles are punched into the skin by hand). This is expensive and hard to arrange as you pretty much need an introduction to anyone who’s still doing things the old-fashioned way (you can’t just walk in off the street). Most work here now is done as it is in the West, although an expert at the traditional method can produce much better shading and colouring than you can get through the mechanical method.
When getting anything permanently applied to your body, you’d want to be perfectly comfortable with your ability to communicate with the person who’s going to do it, so the language issue certainly comes into play. But as for anyone messing things up because you’re a foreigner, no way. I absolutely cannot imagine this happening. If you did find someone who was uncomfortable with the idea of working on a foreigner, they’d just refuse to see you.
Posted by Juxtapose 2002.12.07, 18:13
Just as my own $0.02, I’m considering a kanji tat just because it’s a simple and beautiful way to write a concept. I wouldn’t want a tattoo of the word english word “self”, but I think the kanji “shin” is very pretty. Also I’d never get a tattoo (and certainly never one in another language) where just anyone could see it. It’s a deeply personal thing, so I don’t want everyone and their mom walking up going “ooh, what’s that say?”
- Jux
Posted by jh 2002.12.07, 21:53
Jux — Posted some glyphs for “shin” (hope I got the right “shin”) to the main page. You’re right: it is a nice letter (especially the cursive version).
Posted by Leah 2002.12.08, 05:00
I agree with Jux - I happen to be going to get my own Kanji tattoo today, the characters for “black and white” (I’m biracial). I’ve checked the characters against several sources and even found out that I had them in the wrong order. It is a very personal thing, and mine is going low on my left back so that I choose who sees it when.
Posted by CD 2002.12.13, 01:58
I’ve been thinking about getting a kanji tattoo done for about a year and a half (I’m not stupid. I want to make absolutely sure I’m getting what I think it means the way I want it to mean before I permanently ‘stamp’ it to my skin). So far I’ve been unable to find anyone with enough skill to translate a simple phrase for me (at least I THINK it’s simple) and/or give me a rough sketch of what it would look like in Kanji or Kana. If anyone can help me out here let me know. I plan to minor in Japanese (still unsure whether to take business or literature…) once I get into college, and hopefully spend some time in the country.
Posted by jh 2002.12.13, 12:20
CD — I’m not looking to open up Jeremy’s Kanji Shop any time soon, but I can probably help. Get in touch if you like.
Posted by Ro 2002.12.13, 20:44
hi! i can’t find kanji tattoo,which will means “freedom”! can u help to find it? thanx…
Posted by CD 2002.12.14, 01:46
Jh- Hmmm… I thought that by asking my for Email would have made it available. Guess not.
Anyway, the phrase is ‘Soldier of God’ coming from the Catholic confirmation in which one is labeled so. I’m thinking this will be difficult to translate, considering most would probably say ‘Soldier of god’ (as in A god rather than ONE God).
Any help is appreciated.
Ro- [definition of “freedom”]
There’s some of them, but it’s in your disrection of what to use. Might want to get a second opinion.
Posted by jh 2002.12.14, 11:05
CD — Can’t help if I don’t know the phrase. But now that I do, the closest translation might be “kami no senshi” (you can see the kanji here).
Not sure how closely “kami” fits the Christian idea of God, but it can mean God rather than just a god (people usually say “kami-sama” when referring to God, adding the formal honorific after the word). Aramaic or Hebrew may provide closer ties.
Ro — Interesting to see that the link CD provided seems to be to an online version of the Japanese dictionary by J. W. Breen that is used in the WordLookup application I mentioned elsewhere.
At any rate, “jiyuu” is the better translation for “freedom” rather than “fuki.”
Posted by CD 2002.12.16, 06:17
Thanks a lot. Would you be able to show me what it would look like in Kana?
Posted by Mae 2003.01.15, 06:52
JD - I read what you wrote to CD and I understand you not wanting everyone and their brother asking you for kanji, but I also have been searching the library, internet, and everyone I know for some time now trying to get correct kanji for a buddhist concept I would like a tat of. Would you be willing to help me? I understand if no, but I appreciate your help if you can. Thank you.
Posted by chris 2003.02.09, 06:03
I would like to get a kanji tattoo but want to make sure it says what i want it to say the words honor and warrior if some one could post or email me a site at hotnikks85.com i would really appreciated it
Posted by melissa 2003.02.12, 01:29
can you please tell me the kanji translation for “depression” in symbols?
Posted by junior 2003.02.16, 02:07
I’m sorry that if by getting a kanji tattoo offends anyone, but i think it shows a deep respect for thier culture. I myself dont have any kanji tattoos yet but i plan on getting the kanji symbols for- Love Hate Tragedy. I really like it i have wanted it for about 2 years and I have given it a lot of thought, And I want to get it done i have done alot of research and i have compared about 5 to 10 sources for each characters. And I just have to find a tattoo artist who can get the correct strokes down.
Posted by cheeky 2003.02.24, 12:27
Hi, I’m new here…just happened to be surfing and found this site. I’ve been trying desparately to get some help in regards to getting a kanji tattoo…I’ve been wanting a tat for a long time and have always admired the kanji art of writing. It certainly is beautiful! I HAVE spoken with a Chinese gentleman at work in regards to kanji, and he has been trying to help me with my quest. He even let me borrow his Chinese/English dictionary…but I’m lost! Can anyone help me? What I’m trying to translate is the name of a band. The band is called: Theory of a Dead Man….but I don’t think that “Dead Man” translates very well in kanji…I believe it just comes out as “death”…is that true? Is there anyway that I could have the bands name written in kanji, without offending anyone, and of course, to actually have it “mean” what it says?? Thanks to anyone that would be willing to help me!
Posted by Ryan 2003.03.13, 00:50
Hello,
I too am thinking of getting a kanji tattoo - yuki (did i spell that right?) for “snow.” Snow has always been central to me and i often suffer from “reverse seasonal disorder” - or more simply “need a snow fix in the summer.” I heard that some Japanese women use yuki as a nickname though (understandable with the beautiful white skin and rice powder…) - so would getting that tattoo be unmasculine? It’s an interesting dichotomy here - a skinny white american can’t get “snow” tattooed (in english) on him because that’s a slang term for whittie, and the kanji is also used for a girl’s nickname by an entirely different (higher?) culture. Maybe i should just get a snowflake…
as an aside — all of you into symbols should check out: http://www.symbols.com/ it’s a wealth of American Indian, modern, druidic, pagan… sympols.
thanks,
r
Posted by Kugyou 2003.03.13, 18:34
The hardest part in America seems to be finding someone who will design the kanji for a tattoo for you that doesn’t want to translate something. I had some problems with a couple of the online “Name in Kanji” services, because they wanted a Western name and I gave them the nickname (Kugyou) given to me by a Japanese acquaintance of mine. I mean, I know the Kanji: “Ku: suffering” and “Gyou: act”, but damned if I can find a calligraphic service that’ll just let me say “Here, take these Kanji and make them look nice”. Any recommends?
I was just wondering if anyone knew of a kanji symbol that means “worthy of love”
I was just wondering if anyone knew of a kanji symbol that means “worthy of love” please email me and let me know. thanks
Posted by Tina 2003.04.10, 11:20
I’ve been looking for the translation for “Happiness is a journey, not a destination” in kanji for quite a while now. i’m getting the tattoo between my shoulders and the writing should be vertical. I’d appreciate any help. Thanks
Posted by Nat 2003.04.10, 15:22
Ryan - I dont know exactly how to post this address so i’ll just type it but this site seems to have some good designs, including the one for snow: members.tripod.com/~ReLache/kanji.html
Posted by riyju 2003.04.16, 16:24
I am wanting to get 3 kanji words tattood on my arm, but i can only find one of them. I want: Rage, Destruction, and Lightning. I have the symbol for Rage, if anyone could help me with the other 2, i would be very grateful.
Posted by Jess 2003.04.24, 03:48
I am having a difficult time finding the translation for “unity through individuality.” I would be happy with just the translations for unity and indiviuality. I want to get the symbols for a tattoo. If anyone can help me with that I would really appreciate it.
Posted by Becky 2003.04.26, 11:28
My husband was born in Japan. He is wonting to get a tatoo Made in Japan, but we didn’t know the symbols could you Please tell me the symbols. Torrow is our 13th annsivary and that is what we are going to do. Thank you Becky
Posted by Nate 2003.04.30, 10:23
Hey, I have been thinking of getting a tattoo with the kanji style writing also and am also thinking of getting a phoenix tattoo. I want the kanji lettering to say something along the lines of “And the deceased shall rise upon the depths of Hell”. Because when I was 3 years old I drowned in a pool and was dead for 3 minutes. That is also the reasoning behind the Phoenix Tattoo. If anyone can please help me out with the phrase (feel free to change it up a bit, because I know that the transition from english to japanese is very hard) please feel free to email me, or post it on here. Thank-you for your time and consideration.
Posted by Kit 2003.05.16, 15:14
sigh I’m having a helluva time finding the kanji (I know, that sentence is written in here all too often) for “Sad Witch”. I don’t even know if it would go together all that well in translation. I am wanting it in Kanji for personal reasons dealing with a deceased friend of mine.—so I suppose, yes, add me to the bandwagon. If someone would be able to help me, please let me know. Thank you very much.
Posted by jh 2003.05.16, 16:28
A Belated Word of Explanation
First, apologies for the apparent rudeness in not replying to the recent comments on this page. I decided some time ago not to answer requests for Chinese characters and should have mentioned it sooner.
Tattoos are a big deal: they’re expensive, generally permanent, and their meanings are very personal matters to those who wear them. The original point of this entry was to humbly suggest that people considering getting tattoos in a language not their own think about it very carefully. It’s turned into a “help me find the right character” column, and my feeling is that it’s just not right for me to suggest answers to people who I don’t know initmately. Translation is almost never a simple matter of English Phrase A = Japanese Phrase B, and I’m not sure a web site can provide the bridge to get from the bank of one language across the river of meaning to the language on the other side. The crossing is fraught with peril, young traveller! Tread carefully.
That said, I’m leaving comments open here so feel free to post away. Someone may read your comment and be able to help. My apologies again to those seeking the right characters that it can’t be me.
Posted by riyju 2003.05.16, 16:52
I found a very good tool to translate for anyone seeking help, look for a program called KanjiQuick. It is about 39mb and takes a while to dl, but it is well worth it. All u do is type in the english, and it spits out the kanji. U must be careful though, because as jh has said it isn’t just english=kanji.
Posted by CD 2003.05.20, 00:45
There are countless translation sites out there, but there is virtually no professional out there who is going to work for free.
I’ve found two calligraphy sites that charge a fee for their services, but yield very nice work.
http://www.takase.com/TattooDesign/TattooDesign.htm - This site has actually addressed the tattoo issue and found a way to profit from it. They work with you and give you several artistic variations of the same characters, not to mention you get the translation you’ve been looking for.
http://www.kanjigraphy.com - This is less accurate than the first, but considerably cheaper. You still get your translation and calligraphy, but they may alter the meaning you wanted. Also, the request service is currently down and has been for a while, so who knows if this service is even going to be available any time soon. This is probably better if you’re looking for something on one of their discs, meaning complicated phrases are out of the question.
Posted by inez 2003.06.23, 07:15
i agree. there may be a major point that i am missing, but as someone that loves language, culture and tattoos, i just can’t understand how something that a person doesn’t not understand culturally can have any meaning to them. sure, you can study characters and read about what they mean, but books and life experience are two very different things.
i met a guy once, and since i have tattoos that are always visible usually no matter what i am wearing, a lot of people tend to offer me stories about their tattoos. he was an arab man, in his twenties, palestinian but pretty much american in the sense that he was raised in the u.s. since childhood. he barely spoke arabic, so when he wanted him and his girlfriends names tattooed on him in arabic, he got a native speaker to write it out for him. went and got it done. apparently someone along the way messed something up, and arabic is a lot like kanji - you have to know the subtleties of the strokes to get it right. so he runs into another native speaker and they ask “who’s so and so?” when they see his tattoo. one of the names was completely wrong. and he studied it to some degree - but how could it have a certain level meaning, at least the level of meaning that he seemed to want, if he could not identify the problem himself, even after studying?
i don’t know. i really don’t like them at all, but to each their own. if a person really likes what they have then i guess that’s all that matters.
Posted by craig halsey 2003.07.02, 20:28
dont know if i am speaking to the right person but do you know where i can get free translations of latin phrases in english
Posted by kaige 2003.07.14, 13:10
i already have a japanese kanji tattoo one arm but am trying to get a phrase translated but cant find anywhere that will do it for free thay all wanna charge me if any one knows what the kanji version of “Dark path of the Shadow” would be i would be very appreciative
ta
Posted by Jenna 2003.07.17, 10:27
Does anyone know of a person or place that will deal with translating into Sanskrit? I need to do a cover-up on a painfully botched tattoo over my heart, of all places. I’ve been a Buddhist for 20 years so I feel good about choosing a Sanskrit character, but of course each word in that language has realms of meaning, not to mention being a dead language, so you can’t just look it up in your pocket English-Sanskrit dictionary. Please, if you can help, write to me at jmedusa@earthlink.net and I will…um…say thank you very very much, very earnestly.
Posted by kate 2003.09.02, 12:48
The symbol for pure and honesty are some I am curious about? can anyone post them. . I want to make sure mine are right.
Posted by EnduringLove 2003.09.04, 10:02
You closet social critics are starting to really get on my nerves. You do not even stop to think about for one second how your exclusive language affects other people. Everyone here who wants kanji, kana, or anything else not in their native language for that matter wants it for one reason. They are experiencing an emotion that is so powerful, so important, and so incredibly intense for that person, that the english language fails them. Japanese have always been revered in the culturally intelligent parts of the US as saying little but having it mean a tremendous amount. Right now, I am experiencing aibetsuriku (the pain of separation from loved ones) and shihyakushibyounohoka (love-sickness/longing for love) and I am going to tattoo these symbols down my spine as large as I can possibly make them. I am a master tattoo artist for 27 years. I know the weight of my tattoo machine and the energy that comes coursing through it in both directions. I know that tattooing these feelings in english would obfuscate or distort the intensity of my emotion. Kanji, druid, old germanic, these all became options to me. Yes, I am ignorant of your language, but mine has little true meaning. Be honored for each and every request you receive, as it is what the Japanese have taught us Americans is honor and reverence.
Posted by siouxique 2003.09.14, 02:35
I wanted to thank EnduringLove for his(her) eloquence in expressing what I think many who have or who are considering kanji tattoo feel - that our native language cannot fully articulate what we are feeling. A tattoo is a very personal thing and one of the reasons that I am choosing to get a kanji tattoo rather than an English word or a picture is that the meaning of the symbol on my body means something very important — and private — to me. It is a reminder of a feeling, a state of mind, and a turning point in my life that would require pages of English writing to express. I understand that my translation may not be exact, but images are meant to be interpreted. Different people look at the same picture and take away different meanings. I view the kanji that I have chosen as something beautiful, powerful, and spiritual. Some may choose kanji for the beauty alone, but I think many of us attach a more mystical and spiritual meaning that I believe is more an honoring of a culture that is more introspective and less material than our own than an abuse of it.
To that end, does anyone know of a good kanji tattoo artist in NYC?
Posted by Honkey 2003.09.14, 14:56
I am looking for my name in kenji and the names of my kids because im goin to get them as tattoos. Im looking for these for names…Paul, Brooklyn, Victoria, Lisa, please help me find these and e-mail them too me
Posted by drewby 2003.10.01, 00:39
I’m Looking for the Kanji design for “Soul Mates”, any help would be appreciated. Thanks Drewby
Posted by got2Bme 2003.10.02, 00:59
I am looking for the symbol for “spoiled rotten” I have looked for some time an dnot found it just yet. Any help would be great. Thank you
Posted by Sydni 2003.10.13, 10:37
I was looking through the web and came across two Kanji that said “Hope” and “Strength” and I thought they were very pretty and would definitely mean a lot to me considering that right now in my life all I can depend on is hope and strength but I don’t know if it would be appropriate for me to get those two tattooed on my wrists because I’ve never studied the language, but I know that it would be very significant to me when I’m older, any advice would be nice! Thanks
Posted by Trey Hicks 2003.10.20, 20:08
my wife kidnapped our daughter when she was 2 months old, her middle name was Natsumi. I thought that it meant summer ocean but my x recently told me that was not so. She wont tell me the real meaning of my own daughters name. I wanted to get a tattoo of her kanji. I fly to Japan frequently and want to get a tattoo there. How many meanings of natsumi can there be? would katakana or hiragana be an option?
Posted by chris hota 2003.12.21, 19:07
Natsumi means “picking vegetables.”
Posted by Shells 2004.01.22, 14:36
I noticed that someone was requesting the Kanji symbols for “Phoenix” and also for “soulmates”….I just ran across a tattoo site that shows both of these on the same page of this link. http://www.bmezine.com/tattoo/kanji5.html
I don’t know how clearly someone could copy them or how correct they are in translation, but it may give you some idea of what they look like. Hope this helps. :)
Posted by ima rednekk 2004.02.06, 08:59
i can`t speak from personal experience;BUT!! if i were a tattoo artist, and some true to the bone prick came to my shop, and failed to offer the respect that he was given. i would possibly be tempted to give him a KANJI tat with a meaning that suited his spirit, not one of meaning that suited his ego, or his inner self. YES SIR!! AFTER CENTURIES OF PHILOSOPHICAL PONDERING, it still holds true that an ass-hole is an ass-hole is an ass-hole. (HELL!!! JUST LOOK AT THE EXAMPLE OF CRUELTY THAT I HAVE JUST INFLICTED ON THE POOR IGNORANT BASTARD.!!!!!!!!) JUDGEMENTAL IS AS JUDGEMENTAL DOES.
Posted by dropbear 2004.02.18, 17:05
Sydni, I’ve got the kanji for Love, Honor & Destiny on my upper arm, I totally love them, my best advice would be to make sure you’re getting the right thing! Mine was confirmed by a good friend who is half japanese and speaks it better than english. While the brush strokes are important, u have to remember that tatts are ultimately a reflection of what u think, not others. For me the meaning and reasoning behind what I have is extremely important - they are a reflection of me “straighting up & flying right”, and the reason I chose kanji characters for that is that they are beautiful - english is useful, but not very pretty. Kanji is. Language as art, art as language
Posted by rusell 2004.02.27, 15:23
cant find kanji for fuck you in two separat letterings i really wnt this tattooed on me so if you can help me let me know
Posted by Evi 2004.03.04, 07:43
Can someone tell me how you write the letter “E” and “T” in kanji symbols. please post me back thanks
Posted by chelsea 2004.03.04, 13:44
I’m interested in getting a tattoo in kanji….the words are simple such as beauty,strength…etc. They all come together to label me. Can anyone help to point me in the right direction of translation (books…etc?) Also,I understand why some people have said that it’s trendy to get a kanji tat when you don’t truly know what it means….but I believe alot of people do this to make it so that not every person who sees it can read it. It’s a personal thing especially if you’re critisizing yourself.
But if anyone would like to take the time to help….please do! -chelsea
Posted by jh 2004.03.04, 19:05
> It’s a personal thing especially if you’re > critisizing yourself.
Tattoos are not an acceptable medium for self-deprecation. Do be careful.
Posted by prd 2004.03.04, 19:33
These comments are fun to read. As a translator I’ve been asked a few times to help out with kanji choices for tattoos, but I invariably decline to help or (if I know the person a little better) take the time to really talk things through with him to make sure he knows that we’re not talking about two European languages with lots of word-for-word concordance. Some of the things people are asking for above (“sad witch” and “the deceased shall rise upon the depths of Hell” [is that even English?] and so on) can probably be rendered in Japanese, but they are going to come out as lengthy sentences or as disembodied characters with no possible meaning in relation to each other.
If you want kanji on your body because it looks cool, go for it. It’s your body. If you want kanji that mean something, you have to do your homework, or get someone to do it for you, often for money. And you have to be willing to accept the fact that sometimes the meaning you want to get across in that ink can’t be expressed in a pithy or a cool-looking way in the target language.
To the gentleman who wants to see some character combos for “Natsumi”: There’s an Excel file at durf.org/translation/ that contains a bunch of name readings. You might find some likely candidates in it.
Last, @ Jerry Kindall: Interesting point about the sort of stuff we can see at Engrish.com. Would you say Japanese people were getting “bent out of shape” if they put together a website aimed at gentle mockery of the silly words people in the West like to scrawl on their bodies? :)
Posted by P.W.Klug 2004.03.15, 03:28
I decided to get a tattoo of Kanji on my back. But I did it in Okinawa, JA while I was stationed over there. It is the only true way to have it done correctly. The lady had written it with a brush on a piece of paper and used that to transfer it right to my back. It took no time at all, I have seen many fellow service members that get a type of Kanji state side and it’s meaning is not even close to what they wanted. So my advice to anyone looking into a tattoo of this nature, research it on-line, find someone that can translate it in writing, or go overseas.
Posted by DJ 2004.04.09, 09:06
I’ve been looking into kanji tattoo of my son’s name. His name is Cameron, can anyone e-mail me or send me in the right direction? Thanks.
Posted by Yohichi 2004.04.26, 05:56
As a native Japanese, I wanted offer my $0.02 worth. After reading the posts above, I see that a lot of people have the notion that letters of the alphabet, names and other western-specific concepts will translate into Japanese. There is no direct translation of the letters of the alphabet or Western names like “Jim”, or “Cathy”.
If you are adamant about having a name as a tattoo, there’s a couple ways you can go about it. A) Adopt a Japanese name. Western names typically have a historical or a biblical background. Find out the origin/meaning of your name and see if there is a Japanese equivalent. B) You can use Katakana, a different alphabet used to phonetically write out foreign words.
I also have gone through some of the pictures of tattoos on this website. A lot of them were nice, but keep the following in mind especially if you intend on prominently displaying your tattoo:
Be prepared to explain the meaning of your tattoo. I saw a photo of someone who had “Big Daddy” in Kanji. Um, ok… If I didn’t know a thing or two about the English language or American culture, I would be very perplexed as to why anyone would want to be known as an overweight father. Things that make perfect sense in English, especially slangs and idioms, will not have a literal translation. At best, one can attempt to make a figurative translation.
Kakijun, or the order in which you do the strokes, is very important. I remember when I was in grade school, all of us had to repeat a character many times with a teacher standing around with a ruler. Needless to say, I’ve gone home many times with swollen knuckles. I have absolutely no clue as to what goes into putting ink on skin (whether an image is traced or done freehand), but make sure your tattooist knows to trace from something that is correctly stroked or do the strokes in the correct order.
I would probably stay away from simplified characters. They’re great for when you’re writing letters and jotting things down for yourself, but simplified is just that—SIMPLE and you actually take away from the beauty of the character by using it. I’m surprised at how many characters I learned back when I was in grade school (in the 80s) are now simplified.
It is somewhat strange for me to see text/computer fonts inked on skin. I could be oversimplifying, but it would be like seeing a perfectly shaped Times New Roman tattoo. There are tons more beautiful ways to freehand/script kanji characters.
Be very specific how you want your chosen word to be translated. For example, the English word, “man” (otoko/dan), can either mean the singular form of men (gender specific) or “people” (hito/jin) in a general sense. The word “peace” can either be written as “anzen”, or the secure feeling from having peace of mind or “heiwa”, meaning the opposite of wartime, or harmonious. Get the idea?
Miscsellaneous: Make sure you have the correct translation and if nothing else, make sure it’s right side up or not mirror imaged. (Maybe it was the way a few of these photos were taken)
That’s about all I can think of at the moment. Anyway, you can feel free to email me if you have any specific questions.
Posted by skin_E_gyrl 2004.04.28, 08:15
I tend to disagree withj the negative comments about Kanji tattoos. I got my Kanji tattoo a few days ago and I am not worried at all about it not meaning what I want it to . I am confident that my tattooist would’nt just tattoo a jacked up word on me.
My kanji is actually three symbols that stand for “sexy mother” and I am happy with it. I don’t beleive it is necessary to go to japan to get an authentic Kanji. I mean it would be cool but if you are not rich and able to afford that then there are plenty of websites out there designs to help you get the most authentic design. . I plan on getting matching tattoos with my boyfriend with the word “love” in kanji.
Now what i don’t agree with is when people get there whole body tattooed with kanji lettering. I happen to think that is just silly. I think one or two tattoos at the most in kanji is cool but more than that is just an obsession.You have to be original sometimes you know.
Posted by Yohichi 2004.04.28, 13:28
Just outta curiosity, what character did you use for “sexy”?
Posted by skin_E_gyrl 2004.05.12, 09:33
It actually ended up being to symbols. why do you ask?
Posted by alis 2004.05.17, 00:56
Here’s my £0.02 pence, since I’m British:
I was just reading through this and found it interesting how many people (DJ, evi, russel, got2Bme, drewby, honkey, kate, kaige, Kit, Nate, Becky, Jess, riyju, tina, A, cheeky, Melissa, Chris, Ro) thought it acceptable to ask a random person to decide on what they apparently plan to get permanently etched into their skin. Even if you trust a random person you’ve never met to tell you the best translation, what makes you think they should bother? Especially, in the case of the later comments, when you obviously can’t be bothered to read what they’ve written and take into account their opinion of what you’re doing. Have any of you people ever heard of such a thing as an English-Japanese dictionary? In fact, a plain old English one might be a good investment for a couple of you, too; “there whole body”? “would’nt”? “it’s meaning”? “critisizing”?
Anyway. I’ve been studying Japanese for about four years now and also study Linguistics. I’m tattooed with several images which I designed myself over a long period of time, improvement and revision, all of which hold specific and personal meanings for me and for those I love. So I’m interested in this debate on several levels, as a modified person, as a Japanese student, as someone who has respect for my own body and the markings that I impose upon it, and primarily as a linguist. I just wanted to probe this strange argument that (I quote): “they are experiencing an emotion that is so powerful, so important, and so incredibly intense for that person, that the english language fails them…[because it] has little true meaning.” What on earth makes you think that a language you don’t know or understand has more ‘meaning’ than English? And why Japanese? If your problem is that ‘the English language fails you’, why not get a tattoo in Finnish or Swahili or Czech or Yindjibarndi? How can you claim that English ‘has little true meaning’ when you have been using it to express yourself for your entire life, let alone that many of the world’s greatest works of literature and poetry were written in it? I’m not trying to be imperialist here and imply that English is any better than any other language, but here’s the point: it’s YOUR native language. You know the denotations, connotations, collocations and implications, the subtle nuances of words in English probably better than you will ever know in another language, unless you were brought up bilingually. No language is any better or worse than any other; how could it be? Kanji are just part of a writing system - they are a medium that Japanese and Chinese people use to express themselves, their inner thoughts, just as these simple and often beautiful little Roman letter forms are the best way I have of expressing mine. If you feel that you have some special factor linking you to China or Japan, fine, it makes sense that lettering would perhaps remind you of that. But please don’t rationalise your choices with this pseudo-psychological bollocks about “powerful emotions”. I personally feel that no emotion is simple enough to be summed up in a word or two in any human language, which is why my tattoos are ‘pictures’, designs which mean more to me simply because I invented them to express what I was feeling. If you want a kanji tattoo because it looks pretty, because it makes you appear mysterious and deep and unreadable, or because everyone else has got one, go ahead and admit to it. It’s your body. Just look it up in a damn dictionary first, please, and don’t be surprised if you offend anyone who feels that you’re bastardising their culture.
By the way, a common reading of ‘natsu’ is ‘summer’ and ‘umi’ means ‘sea’, so Trey Hicks’ daughter’s name could well have meant that. I think ‘mi’ in female names often means ‘beauty’, however - obviously the thing to do is find out the kanji that her name is written with. Any given syllable has more than one possible kanji and meaning associated with it, one of the many things that makes Japanese somewhat difficult to learn, or to explain to people who haven’t bothered to research the first thing about how the language works.
I also kind of liked the idea of ‘Okinawa, JA’ - not everywhere is a state of the US, you know!
Thanks for reading… if anyone bothered.
Posted by stephanie lynn 2004.05.20, 13:44
I am an identical twin and have recently lost of other half in an accident. I have been looking for a way to express my emotion for her and my loss. I wanted to tattoo her name on me and have decided that i would like a kanji tattoo of the word twin instead. To me it seems more personal and meaninful. I have found a couple of different translations for the word ‘twin’ and i was wondering which was correct. Could anyone give me a translation or advise on where to get the propre translation? I would appreciate it.
Posted by Chandell 2004.05.31, 06:32
Hi, I am really interested in getting the kanji symbols tattooed for the words “strength” and “beauty”, but cannot find the symbol for beauty. If anyone knows where I could find it, please let me know.
Posted by alias 2004.06.01, 20:59
A dictionary.
Posted by Mariel 2004.06.15, 06:36
Kanji or not, what people choose to tattoo on their bodies is a very personal matter. Whether you agree with the language, style or font is irrelevant, as it is not you who has to live with it. Please stop moaning about people who choose to appreciate Japanese or Chinese Calligraphy, and who find it suits their purpose better than English, Sanskrit or Yindjibarndi. Bsides, what makes you so certain that people who have a kanji tattoo, don’t have tattoos in other languages as well? For all your studying of linguistics, it doesn’t appear as though you’ve come across the word ‘tolerance’ very often. My last two cents is this - the British are the very last people who should be complaining about cultures being bastardised.
I have a Kanji Tattoo. It was translated, drawn, and finally inked by a Japanese man who was quite proud that I had chosen this word to live with for my lifespan. He also quite enjoyed the reasoning behind my choice, as for what is is though, that is between myself and him. Tattoos are personal. Respect our choices and our decisions, and keep your negative opinions to yourself. We live with them, not you.
Jh and Yohichi, thank you for your unbiased and interesting opinions regarding Kanji. You raised some very interesting points with regards to making sure you do it right, especially for people who are making their first forays into getting a tattoo and who need the advice. I for one, appreciate that you did not disparage those of us who love the artistic elegance and power of Japanese and Chinese calligraphy.
Thank you for your time. Mariel
Posted by Gemma 2004.06.24, 14:21
If however one chose to be tattooed with kanji, how would one go about assuring the correct translation and brush stroke is used?
Posted by Madeleine Hanekom 2004.07.02, 05:48
Hi Can somebdy please help me want to get a tattoo in kanji with the meaning (tranquility)does somebody maby have a picture how that is written… Thanks Mad
Posted by Yohichi 2004.07.11, 03:36
I’m not so sure that you’ll get the best translation from a Japanese-English dictionary. Using my previous example, a word like “peace” can be translated to either “anzen” or “heiwa”. A dictionary MAY provide you with the proper differences in the meanings of the two words, but it would probably be in your best interest to talk to a native. They should also be able to tell you exactly the order in which the brush is stroked. Unfortunately, without the help of someone or unless you have a “kanji-jiten” (expensive monstrosities of a publication, usually used by students) I’m not sure how you would go about this.
On a funny side note, I was recently asked to translate the name of a neighbor who lives in the same complex. “Unmei” is the translation for “Destiny”, which is her name. However, I resisted the urge to suggest using the character for “un” (fate/destiny) and “ko” (suffix used in female names).
Posted by emt842 2004.07.14, 12:48
I would be extremely grateful to anyone who would give me direction in finding the Kanji symbols for the words. Health/Discipline/Integrity/Excellence. I am a firefighter and these words are the components of my life. Thanks in advance
Victor, ENG.278 F.F.
Posted by EMT842 2004.07.14, 12:50
I would be extremely grateful to anyone who would give me direction in finding the Kanji symbols for the words. Health/Discipline/Integrity/Excellence. I am a firefighter and these words are the components of my life. Thanks in advance
Victor, ENG.278 F.F.
Posted by sadeyes 2004.07.25, 08:01
lol.. thank you mariel. I don’t think any but the most intolerant, narrow-minded, not to say ignorant patriots of any given country are going to be anything other than amused by a mistake in a tattoo… unless the meaning of the tattoo is degrading to the public at large, why should anyone care? I got a kanji tattoo nearly a year ago, under the assumption that it meant dream(which is to say that I didn’t do my home work very well), and since then have been looking to get an opposing tattoo that says reality, yes, in kanji.. My tattoo is a personal thing, whether or not it means dream or is some horrible mutilation of the word, the reason that I got it and the feelings behind it are the same. I am planning on traveling to Japan within the year, and I may ask some one that I know well what it means, and may even get my remaining tattoo there, that says reality. But no matter the true meaning behind my tattoo, or if its just a pretty bunch of strokes, I like it, and will stand behind the arguement of “it’s your body, do what you want with it”. And Alis… remember, it’s the 21st century, and tolerance is all the rage. :)
Posted by Kat 2004.07.29, 04:44
Would anyone be able to give me a Kanji translation for truth?
Posted by Grace 2004.07.30, 14:08
How does one go about ensuring that the artist designs with the correct brush strokes and such?
A friend of mine grew up in Japan and speaks/writes the language fluently. She will be going with me to get a tattoo—is this enough to get a Kanji tattoo right? Or should I rethink this?
The tattoo I have in mind is simple enough, quite common, or so I’ve heard. However, it is obviously because of its meaning that I have chosen it: seishinryoku, “spiritual strength.”
However, my two more important tattoos that I have are in english, and are quite small. Yes—they are names, but names I will never have a reason to regret permenantly inscribing on my body.
Posted by scott 2004.08.03, 03:40
We do translations of words/names in hindi,sanskrit, arabic, hebrew, chinese etc
Names are transliterated based upon their sound in the equivalent language and are carried out by Naative speaking translators, ie Sanjay in India does our Sanskrit,Hindi and Gujarati translations.
www.tattoos-by-design.co.uk Email Address shop@tattoos-by-design.co.uk
Posted by whitney 2004.08.21, 09:00
I LOVE KANJI NAMES TATTOOS. I HAVE WHITNEY TATTOOED ON MY UPPER BACK RIGHT BELOW MY NECK. IN ABOUT 2 MONTHS IM GETTING MY MIDDLE NAME BELOW MY FIRST. I HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH, CAN YOU DO LAST NAMES IF THEY ARENT COMMON? PLEASE TELL ME I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW.
Posted by Ashleigh 2004.08.22, 04:37
I was wondering if you could translate the name Kalleigh into Japanese Kanji for me? I would greatly, greatly appreciate it!!!
Posted by justin 2004.08.31, 02:53
can somebody please send me the correct kanji symbol for “whatever”. my email address is “justinburgess@optusnet.com.au”. thank you
justin
Posted by Erik 2004.09.08, 05:11
I have always loved the idea of haveing Konji on my arms in the traditional up, down reading. I wanted to get the words Life and Death or Heaven and Hell. I can’t really find a clear image of the four words, so if anyone knows a good reliable database please e-mail it to me at Wballz21@aol.com.
Posted by aims 2004.09.12, 18:34
hi everyone there are certainly a lot of interesting opinions posted on this site. i am getting my first tattoo in less than a month to celebrate the 1st year anniversry of my relationship to my partner/soulmate. he is also getting a matching tattoo. we have decided on a kanji tattoo meaning eternity. i thought i had it all sussed but now im not sure if i have the right symbol. if anyone has the correct kanji symbol for eternity can you please forward it to me so i can compare/contrast. i would really appreciate it. thanks
Posted by jeff 2004.09.18, 16:13
just wondering if someone could email me kanji characters for the words ” in god we trust”. if so my email is snakeskin_1980@yahoo.com.
Posted by jh 2004.09.18, 22:55
jeff —- Which god? Japan has many of them —- and frankly, I don’t know that I’d trust some of them.
Seriously though, I’m not sure this is something that translates all that well.
Posted by Hellraiser 2004.09.21, 12:00
I was wondering if anyone knew the kangi symbols for BLOOD/DRINKER if so could you please email me at hellraiser669@hotmail.com
Posted by jose 2004.10.14, 12:42
i would like to get kanji symbols for TRUST NO SOUL
Posted by EDDIE 2004.10.17, 15:53
i would like to get kanji symbols for EDDIE
Posted by jin 2004.10.19, 11:54
i need for sum one to tell me where can i get a pictures of love is pain in chinese letter..or cantonese..or kanji..please….help me….i got months tryin to find and i cant..please…leave me a message on…cpixel.com/search/loveizpain or aim me a swthug59
Posted by tian 2004.10.19, 15:38
Hi, I don’t know if you have visited my blog:
www.hanzismatter.com
it is dedicated to the misuse of Chinese Hanzi and Japanese Kanji in Western Culture.
enjoy.
-tian
Posted by jin 2004.10.20, 10:44
can some tell me where i can find love is pain..and if know wat website and url..send it to my email…luvzwiggin@yahoo.com or leach1138@yahoo.com i need to know how does love is pain in eitehr kanji or chinese..i know how love look like but i cant find pain nor is
Posted by Alexis 2004.10.22, 11:26
coulds some one plz link me to a site that has ‘sex’, ‘violence’ and ‘ambition’ in correct kanji? i’m Nz born japanese but no one in my family that i know can write it, or even speak japanese.
Posted by mh 2004.10.25, 21:49
Not being japanese, i find that Yohichi makes a very valid point. Just as english has its many and varied subtlties and nuances I am sure that kanji contains just as many. I myself have tattoos, tribal ones with no lingual meaning, however I took pride in having the opportunity to have total control as to the placement of every line within the work.
As far as tattoo choice goes and the language(s) they are written in, I would like to point out that in this day and age it would not be particularly difficult to approach a native speaker of the tongue you wish to have inked and seek their advice and direction in so far as getting the correct meaning and stroke order for the text you have chosen (obviously sanskrit would be a touch difficult). Or better yet open the phone book and find a tattooist who is native to your chosen culture and consult them on their wisdom and experience.
Though all that being said, as long as it means something to the wearer of the tattoo why worry? Of course this is an affront to the culture you are drawing from. However, meaning no disrespect to any culture or people of the world, as long as your tat means something to you, who cares about the literal translation? At the end of the day tattoos and the meaning carried in them make them an immensely personal choice.
Posted by Masaru 2004.10.27, 17:14
I wish to get my middle-name “masaru” tatooed on my back. I am half japanese and know in kanji form it has very “powerful” meaning. I would like some input on whether it would be too strong since I am american born and raised with limited knowledge of japanese culture. It would be in “shou” form.
Please post or email me with your input.
I’ve also been considering “yuu” form. Input on that is welcome as well.
Posted by Lissa 2004.10.29, 05:11
I am looking for the word freedom in katakana or hirgana. Can you help me?
Posted by Phate 2004.10.29, 12:03
Nah, I don’t see any problem with that Masaru.I’m looking for the Kanji symbols for ‘Depression’ and ‘Sorrow’ any examples are greatly appreciated :)
Posted by Buz 2004.10.29, 16:57
Hey there, I’ve been wrestling with the idea of getting the Kanji symbols for “too choose”, “peace”, “love” and “honour”, but to be completely honest, especially after reading some of the above, i haven’t got a clue as to how to start to find the proper symbols. If anyone can help please email me on burriganmayhews@hotmail.com Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by Blake 2004.10.29, 22:39
Hey a folks I just wanted to see what was crackin’ wit these tatts you feel me. Well I want to see if you have anything on love and hate tattoos so if you have some send’em to me and let me know whats goin’ down
peace!!
Posted by Becca 2004.11.11, 11:45
I’ve been looking for the Kanji writing for “mind” “body” and “soul” for many years now. I would absolutly love to have them tattooed, but havnt found a reliable enough source. It is a very personal thing to have another cultures’ language on your body so im not going to settle for a ‘close enough’!
Posted by alexis 2004.11.22, 12:37
find the english to japanese word translation, like love=Ai then search ‘kanji ai’ in google image and youll b able to find your tatt.
Posted by Tadao 2004.12.04, 05:21
I am looking for the kanji symbols for, dangerous spirit. As in i am a Dangerous Spirit. Hopefully someone can help me out. Please dont post a comment, E-mail me. thank you.
Posted by lynda 2004.12.04, 08:23
6
Posted by Ashen Sparrow 2004.12.14, 03:37
“Posted by jh 2004.03.04, 19:05
It’s a personal thing especially if you’re critisizing yourself.
Tattoos are not an acceptable medium for self-deprecation. Do be careful.”
Oh? And why not? Because they are permanent? There are things some of us hate about ourselves which last throughout our lives. On the other side, consider how many tattoos are purchased which represent a brief, influential time.
Regarding possible regret, feeling that over a tattoo, regardless of its meaning, is as wretched and useless and debasing as deifying celebrity.
If a person chooses self-deprecating tattoo, I expect they’re prepared with the knowledge, or at least the hope, that they will surmount the trouble which inspired the tat. If not, they will have to deal with it somehow.
Posted by Adriana 2004.12.23, 18:23
I can’t find a kanji symbol for fuck love would you help me????
Posted by Draco 2005.01.04, 07:07
I want to get a kajni tat of two words “time” and “memories” but it is very hard to find any correct info on the net. I work a lot so I don’t have much time to look in book stores or libraries. I was hoping you could tell me where to find the images. The words a very important to me and I do find the kanji characters beautiful. Please anyone help me.
Posted by Lil-Zame 2005.01.22, 09:58
Hey there, ive been studying the language for a while looking for the tattoo i want. But in doing so ive been finding so many ways to say the things i want. I only want Kanji tattoos that mean something to me, so im using the 4 things i live by. Only my close friends and family would know it, because im not in it to get them for everyone to know, if i was then id just have it done in english. But even tho i have found the ones i want, is it still a good idea to get them, or would i be disrespecting the people who own the language? I think the kanji characters are an amazingly beautiful language and they should be proud of what they have. theres no other language so nice to look at.
Posted by z-boob 2005.02.03, 11:51
hey …im getting a tat in about a month….love in kanji..i was just seeing wut else was out there..if anyone could help me find the symbol for trust in kanji…thanks very much
Posted by Comme ca du Japon 2005.02.03, 12:56
The Kanji for trust is 信　Shin / Shinjiru.
Posted by deranda 2005.02.05, 09:02
hi…………i’m also getting a tattoo in about a month. If anyone could possibly give me the symbol for eternal love, that would be awesome. Thank you so much! : )
Posted by Comme ca du Japon 2005.02.07, 11:01
And the Kanji for eternal love would be : æ°¸é 　（EiEn = Eternal) ã®ã€€ï¼ˆlink word）　愛 (Ai = Love)
æ°¸é ã®æ„›ã€€ï¼ã€€Eternal Love.
That will be 1 $ :-D
Posted by alexenglish 2005.02.13, 13:35
I have my daughter’s name in kanji on my arm. I said that I’d always wanted a tattoo but there was nothing so great that I’d want it on me permanently. However, when my daughter was born, I knew that I finally had something I wanted to preserve. Her name is Grace, and I have the word grace on my left forearm. Even if it’s not exactly right, I know in my heart that GRACE is what it means, so everyone else can just __! My good friend teaches English in Japan and he sent me the word. It was stenciled on me first, so it looks great. PS, I now have a son, and I want another tattoo, but I can’t find a symbol for ‘son’…not in kanji, but in anything else. Can anyone help?
Posted by tj 2005.02.18, 09:01
i was wondering if anyone could translate the japanese proverb “fall down seven times, get up eight” into kanji, katakana, or hiragana? any help would be appreciated! you can email me at firefoxx_16@hotmail.com
Posted by Suzi 2005.03.09, 15:09
So I found everyone’s 2cents helpful, being someone who wants to get kanji tatoos, and wants to do it right (short of going the long way to Japan). Looking for reliable sources to help with translations/ drawings and don’t know who to trust. Advice anyone?
Posted by Hope 2005.03.10, 03:51
Hello, I have been looking for a symbol of chinese, japanese or a kanji (perfered kanji out of anything) for my name “Hope” because i didn’t really like the idea of getting a simple butterfly tattoo like my friends, so if anyone can send me the symbol for”Hope” in kanji it would be highly appreciated alot! thank you
Posted by Hope 2005.03.10, 03:54
Its me again, the e mail to send it to is qthope16@hotmail.com Once again thank you very much!
Posted by ryan 2005.03.13, 16:34
Hey everyone, i found a killer sight… www.kanjistyle.com/html/wl/ip.html check it out but you must have to pay but whatever.
and food for thought, a few times I was going to get a tat, got it drawn up and stuck it to my bathroom mirror. After about 2 weeks I wripped it down cause I thought it was stupid. So think about it seriously… So im still in the process…
Posted by Chief 2005.03.16, 05:01
I need to verify the meaning of a symbol that was used for a tattoo. What is the symbol for or where can I find the symbol for “ANGER”?
Posted by Kay 2005.03.29, 06:15
Im just wondering if anyone knows the Kanji for : Fall in love
If anyone does please please please email me! Ive been looking forever!
Posted by Gustavo 2005.03.30, 21:59
I want to get the letters OCGV on my arm, in japanese. If anyone knows how it would look like, i would apreciate it. Thank you
Posted by Gustavo 2005.03.30, 22:01
I want to get the letters OCGV on my arm, in japanese. If anyone knows how it would look like, i would apreciate it. Thank you
Posted by Dameon 2005.04.02, 02:07
Hello i was wonder if someone could please tell me the symbol for “Lost Soul”
Posted by Declan 2005.04.02, 22:31
Here is an article worth reading for those who are considering getting a Japanese Kanji tattoo.
http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/kanjis.html
All the best,
Declan
Posted by Yohichi 2005.04.04, 07:30
Don’t forget letters of the roman alphabet do not have direct translations into Kanji or any non-western language.
Posted by Aaron Fate 2005.04.04, 16:48
I really need the kanji for Life, Death, and Rebirth. I have spent hours looking, but because this tattoo will mean a lot to me I want to be sure it is exact. Thank you very much. aaronfate@mac.com
Posted by Sharpie 2005.04.07, 09:48
all of this info has been really helpful, but i was just wondering if there was any sybol for “respect” that was only 1 symbol and not 2… feel free to email me if you know oklndrdrs24@yahoo.com thanks
Posted by Ron 2005.04.08, 08:27
I have been a martial artist for more years that I care to admit and a lover of the Japanese culture. I have studied Japanese for a few years and have just recently decided do my forearms in Kanji. They will not be my first tats but they will be the ones that mean the most to me. My first was an eagle that I did and had put on on my 18th birthday. Then I got a calf peice of a mermaid when I was in the navy. Deep spitual things right?
I am going to get “kami no senshi” (as mentioned in this blog curiously enough) and “kami no onchou”. Unlike some I want people to ask what they mean. For your benifit they say “warrior of God” and “grace of God” respectively.
Of cousre there is some debate as to whether or not “kami” translates to “GOD” and it the truest sense it doesn’t. But in Japan these days it is usually recognized as meaning God and not god. This is especially driven home being tattooed on a westerner. Likewise there is multiple meanings to warrior, and I could have chosen samurai but that was not what I was going for, so I found a better “warrior” if you will. A more generic “warrior”.
Like has been said here it is the art of it and my long connection to the culture through Iaido, Karate, and Aikido, an ex-girlfriend and her mother.
I think if you are doing it “because it looks cool” or so people can’t tell you are being vulgar or any other shallow reason you ought to rethink it. But if its because the deeper meaning is what you are going for do your reserch, find and befriend someone that can help you understand the culture and the true meaning of what you are going to end up with. It will make it worth it.
Posted by Durf 2005.04.08, 14:11
Ron: “But in Japan these days it is usually recognized as meaning God and not god.”
I think you’re wrong. Pick up any Japanese bible and you’ll see that terms like 主 (nushi) are often used instead to refer to the Judeo-Christian God. At the very least I’d stick on a -sama if you want to stress the “not a Shinto deity” thing.
Posted by Ron 2005.04.10, 04:10
Durf,
I had tossed about using -sama and after talking to a couple of friends decidng to keep it shorter decide not to use -sama. After your post and really going over it, I decided that in the intrest of lest ink, cutting corners that might lead to confusion was not a good idea. After all a lot of the info postd hear and even myself speak to understanding the nuances of the language.
Just a note. I think my tats look great and I’m glad I included sama.
Posted by Durf 2005.04.11, 13:56
Glad you like your inking. :)
Posted by la 2005.04.16, 09:50
wow, i’ve really enjoyed reading this post. Its given me alot of insight into both sides of this issue. I, like many of the others on this post, love the beauty and simplicity of kanji tattoos and appreciate the way that they can convey something incredibley personal compactly.
However, that being said I am also a japanese major and find it kinda funny when I see tattoo’s that don’t make any sense (to me) or requests for things like romanized names or letters (for the guy further up: there is no letters in japanese for c, or v only phonetic equivalents), and english names in japanese really just look (and sound) like bizzare bastardizations. Translating their meanings is a little easier.
As far kanji for general concept words like love, life, heaven, hell etc. its hard to come up with single kanji in most of these cases (or even clear compounds). this has to do with the borrowed nature and history of kanji in japan (and isn’t really fit for this post.) and it becomes more complex if you want to say more than just the word itself, like a phrase.
I dont’ know much about it but I have a feeling that if you want a clear one or two character translation of an ‘abstract’ concept it might be beneficial to look into the chinese usage and style of these characters rather than the japanese ones. as so often the japanese versions are either parred down, over complicated or mixed with kana to get the meaning accross, and that may be only one of several meanings