Despite two tats myself, putting even my own name on one isn't completely comfortable. Maybe its because until I was about 20 I was known by a nickname that if it were inked on me now I would be seeking scar tissue rather than have it seen.

OOPS!!! (squealing brakes):eek:

I guess I think of the kanji on my thigh as more symbols of what I am, than a name. As I wrote the paragraph above, I forgot that when translated back into English it IS my pseudonym that most people know me by. :o

Anywayyyyy, having translated my first name and my current nickname back to their origins and then bringing their meaning forward into Nihongo does give me two names that I wouldn't be too unhappy with. Mitsubachi has a nice sound to it (unless its an American confusing it with a car or female dog), and Tsume, the nickname for my full name, is very easy to write.

So i ask you, if i were to get my name tatooed on me in katakana, would you find it funny? Can you explain this please?

If i saw someone with their name done in english.. id find it vain i suppose but i wouldnt laugh at them..?

Hey you can go to this website to translate anyone's name in japanese.

http://www.japanesetranslator.co.uk/...e-in-japanese/

Yeah, I think it would be. Getting your name tattooed on yourself is pretty silly in the first place, much less thinking it'll look cooler in a foreign language.

Besides, whities doing stuff in Asian lettering is so overplayed. Even Asians wouldn't do it. Know what they do? They get tattoos of hearts with "Mom" in them, iron crosses, and anchors - true story.

I'm not angry Veronica, I just want you to think long and hard before you do something very stupid.

I see. Well said. I see lots of people here with japanese tats.. there was a woman i saw the other week with 天人　written down her arm. I asked her if she knew what it meant, and she didn't so i told her.. for some reason she wasnt impressed though..?

Funniest tatoo I've ever seen was "so what if I'm a lesbain?"

Yes.. Lesbain. Turns out the tatooist was dyslexic.

Hahah! Both of those tattoos are so sad.



This is an example of a good tattoo, if you ask me. It's not the best quality, but it's creative, funny, unique, and an expression of childhood nostalgia.

For the vast majority of people, a tattoo is a mullet you can never cut. Tramp stamps, barbed wire, tribal, stars, Kanji... shameful things. I've always just "clicked" (here we go again) with tattoo artists and people in the scene, so I've got a pretty deep respect for permanently inking yourself with real art.

Dude.. don't start that again :p

I see whatcha mean though. I currently have 0 tatoos, my big brother has 7 or 8 i think? there all crazy arty things hes done himself though.. ill have to grab a few pics later though. No stars or tribal or anything you mentioned though, so all is well!

I don't think tattooing your name in katakana on yourself is that cool. Yeah, maybe westerners who don't know anything about Asian languages would be like "Duuuude, that's an awesome Azn Tattoo! What is that, Chinese?" XD Sad part is, that happens. I'd hate for people to tell me that all my life, hahaha.

If you're gonna get a tattoo in a foreign language, get the "100% Approval Seal" from a native speaker first ;]

I'd find it funny if you didn't speak Japanese very well.

And if I saw someone who clearly didn't speak English with a tattoo in English, I'd find it both stupid of them and I'd view it as the latest attempt for foreigners to fetishize the English language.

Tattooing yourself in Japanese if you don't speak the language goes hand in hand with talking about "ching chong slant eye karate kung fu manchu." It's objectification of an entire culture.

You're picking a "symbol" because it's cool instead of because it means something to you. Because if you don't speak the language, the kanji doesn't mean anything to you.

However, if you speak Japanese (or are ethnically Japanese), feel free to ink Japanese on you without me thinking you're a moron who is objectifying an entire culture and contributing to international misunderstandings.

Sorry, but people getting tattoos in languages they don't understand is a pet peeve of mine. Why don't you people just get a tattoo in a language you understand? Oh, that's right, because those funny characters so are frigging extreme and awesome, man!!

And then when people get bad tattoos of kanji, they're both objectifying the culture and saying I don't care enough about this culture to even make sure it's properly constructed! It's objectification and simultaneous disrespect.

Fetishize... good word, Kyle, exactly how I feel. "Look at those exotic squigglies, I want some!"