Words and Phrases

Words are a strong source of inspiration for anyone who connects with them, but there are some that are so strong that they mark our skin and our lives.

In previous posts we mentioned the importance of symbols and shapes that have great meaning in the tattoo, but now it is time to discuss written designs.

Although the meaning of tattoos with phrases can be deciphered at first glance, each tattoo is full of stories, and the significance its wearer decides to give it varies with each person.

In the same way that some people use symbols from ancient cultures, there are also those who use phrases in languages harder to understand for the majority of people in Western culture, and it is with this that we focus our attention.

Languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Latin are just some of the large variety of languages that have been gaining popularity in our culture through the years.

Of course, when you go to tattoo a phrase, look to the future because something written today might not have meaning for you in 20 years…

If you are looking for for inspiration for a new tattoo, in this article we make a compilation of phrases that have been found in tattoos and will share their translations to English.

Phrases in Latin

Frases en Chino

• 患难见真情: No matter how long the storm, the sun always shines again through the clouds. Literal: Adversity.
• 永遠要寬恕你的敵人。沒有激怒他: There are two types of people on earth: those who rise and those bow. Literal: Always forgive your enemies rather than enrage them.
• 如果我幫助一個人有希望，我的生活將不是徒勞的。: The world is not in danger from evil people but from people who permit evil. Literal: If I help a person to have hope, my life will not be in vain.
• 紅色的花不保留百天: Life consists not in being dealt good cards but in playing those ones we have well. Literal: The red flowers are conserved 100 days.

Phrases in Japanese and Kanjis

• 患难见真情: No matter how big the storm, the sun always shines through the clouds.
• 明日は明日の風が吹く: Tomorrow is another day.
• 勝敗は武器よりも人に有り: Victory does not depend on weapons but on the hands that use them.
• 千里の道も一歩から: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

If you have decided to get a tattoo of phrases, it is of vital importance to consult the source (even more if the tattoo in question is written in any foreign language) to avoid any error that could damage the essence of your next tattoo and go announcing “sweet and sour pork – 糖醋排骨” on your skin.

After this trip through designs and creations that allow people to express themselves through this fine art, we must remember that it is impossible to generalize the meaning of each tattoo. In many cases, tattoos are more laden with stories than concepts and meanings. It is more a fact of admiration beyond understanding.

This is the true beauty of the tattoo.

You have the first part in: The Meaning of Tattoos I
You have the second part in: The Meaning of Tattoos II
You have the third part in: The Meaning of Tattoos III