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!

@VladmirsPoutine

Reminds me there's a whole generation of men with tattoos in Chinese characters who assume their tats mean 'Strength' or 'Courage' but literally translate as 'King prawn fried rice'.

I actually got a tattoo on my back when I was 14 (!) and was told it meant "strength of a tiger". At age 30 I was in chronic pain and went to see an Asian herbalist that offered massages. I was toppless on the massage bed and he came in and C started to gesticulate towards my back. Very animated. He kept saying "mole! Mole" I was like I haven't got a bloody mole on my back?? Then he touched my tattoo and did a little rat face with a digging motion next to my face. Then I twigged. My tattoo actually said MOLE!! 😂 little bit different to tiger but I actually love it even more .

I find it odd that these characters are referred to as Japanese. Written form of Japanese borrowed a lot from written form of Chinese originally, so these characters would be Chinese characters in the traditional form first and foremost from what I understand.

A bit like how de ja vu is commonly used in English but really it’s a french phrase that’s adopted in English.

I understand I’m picking a minor detail here

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie, don't forget you can have words too. If you're from Yorkshire then perhaps Eee Bah Gum, landscapes like Ilkley Moor perhaps with a hat on the floor to one side. Four men stood next to each other with the word luxury underneath. No end to the Yorkshire/Northern-themed tattoos that won't be cultural appropriation. If you have one parent from Yorkshire and one from Lancashire then you could have two tattoos, one from each side of the world.

@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’.

Make sure the tattoo artist can write it. My Chinese writing is terrible.

I was once on the bus in Madrid and saw someone, who I presume was not a native English speaker with “I always will love you” tattooed on their arm, they probably thought it sounded dead classy!

DD speaks Japanese and loves it when people say my tattoo says x and 9/10 times it doesn't. 2 of her friends had love tattooed but their kanji's different and both mean something else

Maybe you already got the answer but Google translate says it means "challenge"

[quote Zilla1]@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie, don't forget you can have words too. If you're from Yorkshire then perhaps Eee Bah Gum, landscapes like Ilkley Moor perhaps with a hat on the floor to one side. Four men stood next to each other with the word luxury underneath. No end to the Yorkshire/Northern-themed tattoos that won't be cultural appropriation. If you have one parent from Yorkshire and one from Lancashire then you could have two tattoos, one from each side of the world.[/quote]
All excellent ideas. Or maybe just a nice cup of tea? That doesn't grow oop North though, so is probably also cultural appropriation.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie am struggling now. Would it have to be mead or ale?

It seems it's possible the first evidence for UK tea consumption happened in Yorkshire inews.co.uk/news/uk/britains-first-ever-cup-tea-not-london-yorkshire-117733

Sorted!

I think you're a really supportive mum xx

Many moons ago I had a tattoo in Chinese on my stomach that was meant to read ‘to give love’…
it actually means ‘to sell pleasure’ 😂

whereever she is plan get it-i sufggest she gets transfer typ and has it for a week.i hate that i ever got sstipod tatoo and have from second i walked out shop its small.nobody need ever see it.im always are its there.i wish i never

@Minesril

'Not you, but I can see some anti-JK Rowling people now highly regretting a Harry Potter tattoo.'

This worries me, I really want an 'always' tattoo but am worried about being seen as transphobic.

Mate. The fuck? Do you really believe JK is 'transphobic' or are you just a scaredy sheep? I hope you aren't planning on getting the quote about courage

@Kanaloa

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.

Where is the power differential between white British and Japanese people? Where is the structural oppression located? Cultural appropriation exists where a DOMINANT culture uses aspects of an oppressed culture for aesthetics or monetary gain in ways that are harmful towards the oppressed culture. Where is that dynamic between white British culture and Japanese?

The problem is that tattooes themselves come with this vibe to anyone over the age of her generation

Ahem...do you think over 40s don't have or get tattoos??

It’s Chinese and it means “challenge”. I guess it’s close enough to dare. DH is Taiwanese so this is the truth. He says however that it’s a very manly or male kind of thing to write but more importantly the writing-at least as it is written here—is incredibly poor. “It looks like an 8-year old child wrote it” he says. My advice, if you want this word tattooed, find a Chinese tattoo artist who can do a good job.

This worries me, I really want an 'always' tattoo but am worried about being seen as transphobic. sad

Am I missing something here? Why would an “always” tattoo be seen as transphobic?? I don’t understand.

@ohdrearydrearyme

I speak both Chinese and Japanese and used to teach them. It IS 'dare' or 'challenge' as previous posters have said. The character on the left is NOT peach (which has tree radical on the left, whereas this character has hand radical, for anyone who might understand what I'm talking about.) However, do be aware that the actual aesthetics/proportions of the characters are a bit off, particularly the one on the right. They are very clearly done by someone who doesn't know how to write characters. Maybe try a different source or tattoo artist?

You speak BOTH. And English? That is an astounding achievement.

ps thanks for the youtube link to japanese tattoos -found it interesting

@Redlizzie77

This worries me, I really want an 'always' tattoo but am worried about being seen as transphobic. sad

Am I missing something here? Why would an “always” tattoo be seen as transphobic?? I don’t understand.

Because some dickheads think JK Rowling is transphobic. And some people are scared of being tainted by association if they are seen liking Harry Potter in public.

I got a tattoo of chinese symbols on a holiday during college. The holiday was a big step out of my comfort zone and the tattoo too! I've never had the courage to find out exactly what it means (i think it was 'dream' but i'm now approaching 40 and don't regret it at all, it represents a real shift for me in confidence and good self esteem, if it means noodles, so be it!

I'd say at best that JK Rowling has been somewhat misguided/clumsy in her comments. And, no, I'm not a dickhead.

Hey.. it means ‘Challenge’

Hope this helps.
This is in Mandarin. In Mandarin it means Challenge.