Please translate before she gets tattoed...

[Itgetsthehoseagain]

Posting on AIBU because I know the traffic is good and I'm not sure where else to post
DD's intentions are to get the attached characters tattooed. I don't have a problem at all with the tattoo - she just wants to be absolutely sure that her choice isn't going to cause problems.
We have no idea what the characters mean, but we do know that they are from the Gorillaz (band) "Dare" artwork. I think that they might be Japanese, but they are horizontal rather than vertical so I'm wondering if it's the artist's interpretation of Japanese characters. I can't find much online at all.
Could anybody translate, please? in advance for thanks!

@garlictwist

The difference is pretty obvious, you’ve said it in your post. You’re fluent in French. If a French person stopped you and said wow a French tattoo you could say yes I speak French I got this tattoo because blah blah blah.

This girl doesn’t speak or read any Japanese. She would have no clue how to read or say these characters. For me it just seems ignorant to have a tattoo of a word you don’t understand. Why not just get the word dare in English? And if you don’t like the idea of the word dare in English then why would you want it in Japanese?

It translates as ‘please wee on my leg’ HTH

@Unfashionable

I always assume that tattoos of Asian characters which the wearers claim mean some inspiring idea actually translate as ‘I am a gullible twat’ or ‘use by 13th March’.

Or "Choose from the tattoos below..."

“Always” the sanitary towels?

Lol no. I want something like this.

Although now you mention it, it may be better to put it in context. Darn.

I am covered in tattoos, some of which I love, some I regret.
I'm always glad that I didn't get my planned Morrissey tattoo, because he has now become a symbol of things I abhor. So that's a real risk when you're paying tribute to others in your body art.

Also, my first language isn't English, and I've seen many tattoos in my mother tongue on the bodies of people who don't understand the language. It is cultural appropriation. It's literally picking nice bits of a whole complex, rich, varied culture and saying, ooooh I like that, I'm gonna take it! Others may not agree (easier to disagree if you're English, I reckon, since it's such a widely-spoken language and is very dominant) but OP's daughter will have to accept that many people WILL be of the opinion that her tattoo is cultural appropriation.

Unfashionable

Why the hell should a tattoo be fashionable? So long as the person getting it loves it, that is really all that matters.

And if you don’t like the idea of the word dare in English then why would you want it in Japanese?

Because it's cool and different?

It’s cool and different to have a word from a random language you don’t speak or understand tattooed on your body? Not in my opinion.

@Kanaloa I was being facetious. I agree with you.

Someone I know got a tattoo whilst travelling in Thailand.
He asked the Thai tatooist to translate a meaningful English phrase into Thai.
When he got back, a friend googled the English meaning of his tattoo.
Turns out he's got Thai green curry tattooed on his arm.

@SilentPanic if that’s the case, is learning another language cultural appropriation? I don’t think so. I think most people haven’t a clue what cultural appropriation actually is..I think having a tattoo in another language is really not a problem.

Oh ok! You’d forgive me being surprised, so many people on this thread seem to thing it’s a great idea to get random Japanese characters permanently scribed onto their bodies. I would honestly find it so silly if someone told me they couldn’t read the words they had on their own body - I won’t even wear a t-shirt with words I don’t understand on it!

MrsTreeHouse of course learning a language isn't cultural appropriation. It takes hard work and commitment and isn't cherry picking the easy, pretty bits of a culture.
Of course I know what cultural appropriation means, I've just told you I'm from a culture which is affected by this constantly. It's not a recent trend, it's affected so many cultures for so many years, and is usually (but not always) rooted in a kind of cultural colonialism.

Your point about language is an interesting one though, because it has made me think- I recently learned a new language, and can converse, write, read, watch films etc in that language. On paper, I'm fluent, but I think that cultural fluency is different and takes many years to attain. Words have connections and histories and implications that I will never quite understand if I'm not immersed in that cultural landscape.

@Kanaloa

Oh ok! You’d forgive me being surprised, so many people on this thread seem to thing it’s a great idea to get random Japanese characters permanently scribed onto their bodies. I would honestly find it so silly if someone told me they couldn’t read the words they had on their own body - I won’t even wear a t-shirt with words I don’t understand on it!

It isn't random. It's been used by a band she likes and means something in connection with that.

As for cultural appropriation being, "Cherry picking the pretty bits" that's just silly. If you pick a lyric or a picture connected with a book or a film or a song, even from your own culture (whatever that even means these days) you're also, 'Cherry picking the pretty bits' and making a choice about something you feel you connect with and essentially, 'Cherry picking a pretty bit."

I'm white, Northern, working class. Does that mean I'm only allowed tattoos featuring whippets, brass bands, Woodbines and flat caps? FFS.

I like Gorillaz but it's kind of weird two English men (Hewlett/Albarn) deciding to call the asian character "Noodles" IMO...kind of like calling a Scottish character "Haggis."

@Bluesheep8

Someone I know got a tattoo whilst travelling in Thailand. He asked the Thai tatooist to translate a meaningful English phrase into Thai. When he got back, a friend googled the English meaning of his tattoo. Turns out he's got Thai green curry tattooed on his arm.

Of course that happened to ‘someone you know’

I mean, it’s not like this made up guy was in Thailand surrounded by Thai people who could have told him the tattoo’s meaning within a minute of leaving the tattoo parlour. Why would a tattoo artist want to give someone a tattoo they didn’t ask for and risk retribution?

One of those stupid made up stories everyone likes to pretend happened to a ‘friend of a friend’ so they can feel superior. Unoriginal.

@MondayYogurt

I like Gorillaz but it's kind of weird two English men (Hewlett/Albarn) deciding to call the asian character "Noodles" IMO...kind of like calling a Scottish character "Haggis."

Tbf they came up with the band/names 23yr ago. There wasn’t quite the same awareness of cultural appropriation/cultural sensitivity then as there is now.

Wasn't it David Beckham who had what he thought was Victoria's name tattooed on his arm in Hindi but it turned out to be a mistake? It really is as someone said upthread a form of cultural colonialism.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

I'm white, Northern, working class. Does that mean I'm only allowed tattoos featuring whippets, brass bands, Woodbines and flat caps? FFS.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see those tattoos!

Come on, it’s absolutely cultural appropriation. The way I see it, it’s no different from meeting a couple who have named their (white British) child Kumiko despite speaking no Japanese or having any understanding of the culture because they love Karate Kid so much.

The album is called ‘dare’ in English. If she loves the album so much she can get the word dare tattooed on her, and then she can be confident it says what she thinks it says. If you need to ask others to translate it for you how can you possibly be confident in having it on your body.

AngryWhompingWillow -

OP only asked for a translation 🙄. The self appointed kangaroo court just couldn’t resist!

@Itgetsthehoseagain

To ground us all for a moment - it's also artwork from a band she likes. But that's an excellent point - what if Damon Albarn was revealed to be a Gary Glitter - hadn't thought of that...

Well he does look like Oliver Reed in a certain light...