Tats That Don't Translate

In the 1990s, Asian characters were a popular trend appearing on clothing, jewelry, and even on the skin. Tattoos of Asian characters depicting "peace" or "love" were very trendy to ink on the skin. However, these tattoos didn't always translate exactly how patrons thought. A local tattoo removal physician told Fox News "that his business averages between seven and nine clients a week seeking to get an Asian-language tattoo removed. Of those, he said, five or six typically complain that their tattoo was mistranslated or didn't say what they originally thought it did." Renderings of Asian characters at tattoo parlors are usually flash art taken from a computer. Many tattoo artists are not familiar with these symbols, and may not have copied the symbol exactly. As a result, patrons that once believed their symbol read "spirit" find out later that it really translated to "gas." Such misinterpretations lead many to laser removal to wipe these embarrassing symbols from their body.