Chinese and Japanese Kanji words and phrases are among the most popular tattoos chosen by many collectors. Because they are ornate and - at least to those who can't read it - contain a "hidden" message that only a select few may be able to identify. It's easy to understand why they're so popular, but the problem is this: if you can't read it, your artist can't read it, and you don't know the source the design came from is trustworthy, then there's a good chance that your pretty design doesn't actually mean what it's supposed to.
Chinese and Japanese
Chinese and Japanese "symbols" are not actually symbols - not in the way that a pink ribbon is a symbol for breast cancer awareness. What you're seeing are actual words, combinations of letters and sounds that create literal, readable words and phrases just like this article you're reading. A letter out of place or drawn incorrectly can create a completely different word or simply create a combination of letters that say nothing at all. Or, worst case scenario, you could end up choosing a word or phrase that actually states something really offensive or embarrassing. But that's not the only thing that can go wrong when you cross a language barrier.
Every culture has its own dialect and slang terms. What might be a completely innocent word in one culture could be highly controversial in another. For example, the word "fag" simply means cigarette in some British cultures. However, here in the United States, that word is an offensive insult used against people who are gay. And English/American culture isn't nearly as diversely separated as American/Chinese or English/Japanese are. Imagine how different slang terms might be in languages that come from cultures that are so different from your own.
"This girl I once knew who was born in the Year of the Rooster decided to get the Chinese word (they are words, not symbols) for 'chicken' on her back. Well, little does she know, 'chicken' is slang for 'prostitute'. Because of the allure of a foreign language and lack of research, she will now be forever branded with a word with a meaning she never intended. Some people end up with words on their back that mean nothing by themselves, or are not even words at all, but just look cool. Some people end up with words like 'death' on their bodies, which in Chinese (it is also the same word in Japanese) may also mean 'die', this word is considered extremely unlucky and cannot even be spoken around holidays." - Anonymous Reader
Talk about embarrassing! But Chinese and Japanese characters aren't the only cultural icons that get mistranslated and lead to humiliating mistakes.
Maori / Ta Moko Facial Designs
Another type of design that has the potential for mistakes and embarrassment is Maori-style facial tattoos. These tribal designs may look very nice but were designed and are reserved for the members of their own culture. Each moko facial tattoo was created for that specific person, to tell a story as to who they are and what tribe they belong to. To copy such a design from someone else would be showing immense disrespect. To try to create your own pattern based on others you've seen could inadvertently "say" something inaccurate.
"With regard to Maori facial tattoos (ta moko), I would just like to point out all moko patterns (facial and otherwise) are gender specific and are often used to denote tribal rank and/or affiliation. I'm a Kiwi of Maori descent, and a friend of mine on holiday in LA saw an Anglo-American man wearing a moko that indicated he was a woman from the Kai Tahu tribe in the South Island. Clearly this guy had no respect for, or interest in, the meaning of his tat. Please research your tattoo's meaning before getting the ink, no matter what culture it comes from. A lot of cultures developed their designs for religious and social reasons and it would be pretty insensitive (not to mention stupid) not to know what your body art says." - Clare
Here's the bottom line: To wear moko is to claim that you're a member of their culture or intimately affiliated with it in some way - if that's not the case, you're just a poser with a copycat tattoo. 'Nuff said.
Other Foreign Languages (Even Made Up Ones)
The same thing goes for any language you can't read or a symbol from a culture you don't understand. It doesn't matter if it's Urdu or Klingon - if you can't read it, don't get it unless you know someone personally who you trust to help you find the correct translation. It may work to ask your waiter at your local international restaurant or some kid coming out of a Star Trek convention, but keep in mind that they might give you the wrong translation just to be funny. None of us would appreciate someone wanting to take something from our culture without putting forth the effort to learn anything about it first.
If you're dead-set on getting a tattoo that's in a language or from a culture you don't personally understand, at least do some research. If you don't, and you end up with a screwed up tattoo as a result, don't say I didn't warn ya.
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