There have been some very interesting stories in the press in recent years regarding Chinese tattoos. In fact, they could be classed as quite humorous, that is if you were not the unfortunate subject being discussed.For those unsure of the current fashion for Chinese tattoos, this is when someone will request a tattoo in the shape of a traditional Mandarin letter or phrase; these beautiful calligraphic designs have often been used for ornamental purposes. Lately, they have become popular as tattoos; often the Mandarin letter or phrase used will translate to something meaningful to the wearer.
Unfortunately, there have been a number of examples where the translation was not as exact as was originally intended. One particular example of this, is the case of a young man who requested a Chinese tattoo that should have read "Love, honour and obey". Instead, the tattoo read as "At the end of the day, this is a very ugly boy". The poor wearer only realised this when it was pointed out whilst waiting for a Chinese takeaway.
Clearly, this is an extreme example of what can go wrong when applying a Chinese tattoo, however it does raise a very important point about tattoos in general. It is always worth doing your own homework and coming up with your own design. Of course, had this person gone to a reputable tattoo parlour, it would never have happened. As the old saying goes, a tattoo is for life. Don't rush into it on a whim, otherwise it is very likely you could be the main course of humour the next time you visit your local Chinese restaurant.