Recently updated on February 21st, 2024 at 07:44 pm
Thinking about getting something trendy and unique inked on top of your body? Chinese calligraphy tattoos look lovely and can make up for a catchy conversation starter. Find your perfect and customized Chinese tattoo with one of these 84 marvelous single Chinese character tattoos!
About the Origin of Tattoos in China
The art of tattooing has been known in China for thousands of years. Known as Wen Shen 纹身 (also referred to as Ci Qing 刺青 or Ci Shen 刺身), tattooing in China refers to the practice of “puncturing the body”. Although the art form has existed for thousands of years, it’s an uncommon practice as it’s seen as a defamation of the body. Nowadays, tattoos in China are more acceptable than before, and they have become an everyday sight on the streets of China.
Why Do People Get Chinese Characters as Tattoos?
Chinese characters have an inherent elegance because they convey a lot of meaning in just one symbol and look like miniature paintings with intricate details. A Chinese symbol is seen as more intriguing than the letters used in the English language. If you have this tattoo, you can be more original and you can add an air of mystery to your design. It can also be considered a form of art. Moreover, it can be great for those who want an ink with a message since a great deal can be said with just a single character.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Chinese tattoos have become a raging phenomenon among tattoo enthusiasts.
Why is it Important to Get the Right Single Chinese Character Tattoos?
If you decide on getting a Chinese character tattoo, make sure you get the Chinese tattoo translation right. It might be a beautiful symbol but on the other hand, it may turn out to be quite the opposite meaning of what you intended. There are also instances in which the tattooed symbols end up bizarrely meaningless or can even be offensive. In addition, watch out for double meanings.
Essential Tips to Get Single Chinese Character Tattoos
Chinese character tattoos are a great choice for a tasteful tattoo, but make sure you do your research properly. You should be confident that it is something you really like because a tattoo is a permanent thing. Of course, there is always laser tattoo removal, but it is expensive, time-consuming, and more painful than getting a tat in the first place.
Prior to getting single Chinese character tattoos, make sure that the tattoo artist you select is able to reproduce the translation correctly. A single wrong stroke can result in a totally different meaning, and you can have disastrous consequences. Find a tattoo artist who has had experience with Chinese character tattoos and can render the writing correctly.
84 Amazing Single Chinese Character Tattoos with Meanings
Acquiring a tattoo has become a global trend, and Chinese characters (especially traditional Chinese characters) have gone viral in terms of choosing tattoo patterns. If you’re serious about getting a Chinese tattoo, take a look at our list of 84 amazing single Chinese character tattoos with meanings.
Chinese Zodiac
With origin based on Jupiter’s 11.85-year orbit, the Chinese zodiac translates to a 12-year calendar with a different animal assigned to each year. Your zodiac animal is the animal sign of the year you were born. Often people choose to get the Chinese names of their zodiac animals as their tattoos.
| Code # | English | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
| A001 | Rat | 鼠 | 鼠 |
| A002 | Ox | 牛 | 牛 |
| A003 | Tiger | 虎 | 虎 |
| A004 | Rabbit | 兔 | 兔 |
| A005 | Dragon | 龙 | 龍 |
| A006 | Snake | 蛇 | 蛇 |
| A007 | Horse | 马 | 馬 |
| A008 | Goat | 羊 | 羊 |
| A009 | Monkey | 猴 | 猴 |
| A010 | Rooster | 鸡 | 雞 |
| A011 | Dog | 狗 | 狗 |
| A012 | Pig | 猪 | 豬 |
Wuxing (Five Elements) Chinese Philosophy
Five Elements Theory is a Chinese philosophy used to describe interactions and relationships between things. The five elements — wood, fire, earth, metal, and water — are regarded as the foundation of everything in the universe and natural phenomena.
| Code # | English | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
| A013 | Water | 水 | 水 |
| A014 | Fire | 火 | 火 |
| A015 | Wood | 木 | 木 |
| A016 | Metal | 金 | 金 |
| A017 | Earth | 土 | 土 |
Five Virtues (Confucianism)
Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, was regarded as one of the wisest sages all over the world. His ideas of virtue and ethics greatly influenced Ancient China and later spread throughout the world.
| Code # | English | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
| A018 | Benevolence | 仁 | 仁 |
| A019 | Righteousness | 义 | 義 |
| A020 | Propriety | 礼 | 禮 |
| A021 | Wisdom | 智 | 智 |
| A022 | Trustworthiness | 信 | 信 |
Other Popular Single Chinese Character Tattoos
Simple and eloquent, single Chinese character tattoos have been the most commonplace of all Chinese tattoo designs. Chinese letters, unlike the English ones, symbolize powerful emotions and concepts singularly. A single character carries loads of meanings, it can mean friendship, love, hate, courage, destiny, etc. What you need to do is simply pick an emotion or thought that you want to get stamped on your body, translate it to the perfect Chinese character and get the tattoo etched!
| Code # | English | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
| A023 | Destiny | 命 | 命 |
| A024 | Love | 爱 | 愛 |
| A025 | Harmony | 和 | 和 |
| A026 | Ambition | 志 | 誌 |
| A027 | Energy | 气 | 氣 |
| A028 | Strength | 力 | 力 |
| A029 | Tao (Dao) | 道 | 道 |
| A030 | Happiness | 喜 | 喜 |
| A031 | Blessed | 福 | 福 |
| A032 | Dream | 梦 | 夢 |
| A033 | Strong | 强 | 強 |
| A034 | Heart | 心 | 心 |
| A035 | Loyalty | 忠 | 忠 |
| A036 | Braveness | 勇 | 勇 |
| A037 | Virtue | 德 | 德 |
| A038 | Zen (Buddhism) | 禅 | 禪 |
| A039 | Predestined relationship; fate; serendipity | 缘 | 緣 |
| A040 | Long life | 寿 | 壽 |
| A041 | Honor | 荣 | 榮 |
| A042 | Lucky | 幸 | 幸 |
| A043 | Beauty | 美 | 美 |
| A044 | Flower | 花 | 花 |
| A045 | Wealth | 富 | 富 |
| A046 | Money | 钱 | 錢 |
| A047 | Double happiness, a Chinese traditional ornament design commonly used as a decoration and symbol of marriage | 囍 | 囍 |
| A048 | Abundance | 丰 | 豐 |
| A049 | Precious; expensive | 贵 | 貴 |
| A050 | God | 神 | 神 |
| A051 | Hate | 恨 | 恨 |
| A052 | Death | 死 | 死 |
| A053 | Live | 活 | 活 |
| A054 | Ghost | 鬼 | 鬼 |
| A055 | High; tall | 高 | 高 |
| A056 | Low | 低 | 低 |
| A057 | Short | 矮 | 矮 |
| A058 | Quiet | 静 | 靜 |
| A059 | Ugly | 丑 | 醜 |
| A060 | Lose | 输 | 輸 |
| A061 | Win | 胜 | 勝 |
| A062 | Win | 赢 | 贏 |
| A063 | Fly | 飞 | 飛 |
| A064 | Sadness | 悲 | 悲 |
| A065 | Cheerful | 欢 | 歡 |
| A066 | Kiss | 吻 | 吻 |
| A067 | Anger | 怒 | 怒 |
| A068 | Smile | 笑 | 笑 |
| A069 | Sex | 性 | 性 |
| A070 | Annoyed | 烦 | 煩 |
| A071 | Honest | 诚 | 誠 |
| A072 | Endurance; patience | 忍 | 忍 |
| A073 | Younger brother | 弟 | 弟 |
| A074 | Elder sister | 姐 | 姐 |
| A075 | Younger sister | 妹 | 妹 |
| A076 | Wife | 妻 | 妻 |
| A077 | Husband | 夫 | 夫 |
| A078 | Father | 父 | 父 |
| A079 | Mother | 母 | 母 |
| A080 | Friend | 友 | 友 |
| A081 | Spring | 春 | 春 |
| A082 | Summer | 夏 | 夏 |
| A083 | Autumn | 秋 | 秋 |
| A084 | Winter | 冬 | 冬 |
Celebrities with Single Chinese Character Tattoos
Allen Iverson
He’s got the single Chinese character tattoo “忠 loyal” on his neck.
Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige’s right hand is tattooed with “力 Strength” which is used in both Chinese and Japanese.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber has a generic Chinese character “曲 Song” etched on his left arm. The character has multiple translations, apart from meaning “song; music”, it can also mean “bent; crooked; wrong”.
Holly Valance
The Australian model/actress/singer has “爱 Love” tattooed on the right side of her bikini line.
Marat Safin
Marat Safin has “猴 monkey” inscribed on his upper right arm. It could be his Chinese zodiac sign.
Chinese Tattoo Translation Services by Chinese Copywriter
A single character is more difficult to get wrong than a longer quote or phrase as it carries more impacts and meanings. If you are thinking about getting a Chinese symbol tattoo, make sure you get your translation from a reliable source like Chinese Copywriter so the design really means what you think it does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are tattoos popular in China nowadays?
Tattoos have become much more socially acceptable in the past few decades with the influence of celebrities and sports stars. Tattoos are now an everyday sight on the streets of big cities in China.
How are tattoos perceived in Chinese history?
Tattooing the body has long been stigmatized in China as it’s often associated with prisoners, vagrants, and the criminal underworld.
Is it legal to get tattoos in China?
It’s legal to get tattoos in China, but Chinese culture, in general, has an aversion to tattoos. For people of certain occupations such as public service, teachers, and doctors, exposing tattoos is a kind of taboo.
What are jobs that don’t allow the exposure of tattoos?
Here is a list of jobs that might not allow the exposure of tattoos.
* Government Officials
* Police Officers and Law Enforcement
* Healthcare Professionals
* Cabin Crew
* Financial Institutions and Banks
* Teachers
* Law Firms
What is the Chinese symbol for “Good Luck”?
The Chinese symbol for good luck is the character “福 fu”, which is hung in homes and in the center of a door as it’s believed that symbol brings in good fortune and happiness.
What are some common mistakes made with Chinese character tattoos?
There are several common mistakes that people may make when getting a Chinese character tattoo:
· Misusing characters
· Poor translation
· Poor design
· Poor tattoo quality
Translator
Ouyang is a seasoned Chinese translator with 13 years of experience. With proficiency in translating for tourism, cosmetics, textiles, electronics, footwear, kitchenware, legal fields, and more, she helps businesses thrive in the Chinese market. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.