30 Tattoo Fails Only People Who Are Fluent in Chinese and Japanese Will Understand

Foreign language tattoos can look elegant, meaningful, and completely harmless, until the translation turns into something very different. That is exactly why these tattoo fails are so funny, because the people wearing them clearly wanted something cool, but ended up with words that make fluent readers do a double take.

From Chinese characters to Japanese script, the mix-ups in this collection show what happens when the design is rushed or the meaning is never checked. Some of the results are accidental, some look suspiciously deliberate, and all of them are the kind of body art you cannot unsee once you understand it.

These 30 tattoos are a reminder that one small translation mistake can change everything.

1. This one's hilarious.

sunriseoverseas

2. Spicy, strong, same thing, right? No.

sunriseoverseas

3. Um. I don't know how this guy walks around with that.

sunriseoverseas

4. Well, the ceiling's the limit, I guess.

sunriseoverseas

5. ROFL.

sunriseoverseas

6. This may have been done on purpose.

sunriseoverseas

7. Standard tattoo, I suppose.

sunriseoverseas

8. Oh boy, a horse tattoo must be... weird.

sunriseoverseas

9. Hello there, Shrimp Dumpling.

sunriseoverseas

10. Most likely Popeye.

sunriseoverseas

11. Water Inflammation... doesn't sound so appealing anymore.

sunriseoverseas

12. Friendship, friend boat... see what the tattoo artist did there? Ship... Boat? No? Hmm.

sunriseoverseas

It’s like the AITA drama where friends’ work schedules and finances got ignored during a surprise international trip.

13. Didn't know the picnic table was popular enough to be a tattoo.

sunriseoverseas

14. Um. So her name's China, perhaps.

sunriseoverseas

15. Looks creepy too. Like two eyes peering at you.

sunriseoverseas

16. Poor woman.

sunriseoverseas

17. Ladies' toilet on her arm. How cool is that?

sunriseoverseas

18. And no one's ever heard from Gangrene again...

sunriseoverseas

19. I would have laughed and explained to this man why I laughed.

sunriseoverseas

20. Aren't we all truly tax-free, though? A thought to ponder... But I'd never have that tattooed on myself.

sunriseoverseas

21. LOL. Poor self-confidence just took a huge hit.

sunriseoverseas

22. Oh boy, the horrors.

sunriseoverseas

23. Lorem Ipsum, perhaps.

sunriseoverseas

24. See, this is why we must detail our thoughts to a tattoo artist.

sunriseoverseas

25. The tattoo artist's love for bread came out in other ways.

sunriseoverseas

26. Well, physically speaking, only a big head would shelter a big brain. No offense intended.

sunriseoverseas

27. Wow. I can't even imagine how Hope became Chicken.

sunriseoverseas

28. Ben, poor Ben.

sunriseoverseas

29. Power and Strength transformed into Kitchen Sink. Epic degradation.

sunriseoverseas

30. Umm. This guy needs to know what his tattoo means.

sunriseoverseas

So now I'm sure you understand the importance of clearly detailing your dream tattoo when you visit a tattoo artist. Sure, you're all over the place when it's happening, but it's good practice to go prepared.

The last thing you want is to have a foreign tattoo you can't read, that's misspelled, and means something entirely different!

When it comes to tattoos, go prepared!

For more family fallout, see why a sibling’s hidden tattoo blew up dinner with strict parents.