30 Of The Most Cringeworthy Tattoos That People Who Are Fluent In Chinese And Japanese Have Seen

There’s no one single reason why hanzi and kanji on tattoo aficionados' bodies sometimes end up in failure. First, there’s the lack of research which may be time and effort-consuming, meaning that you have to consult the experts in Chinese/Japanese languages to really tell you the meaning of your chosen logogram.

Then, there’s an overconfidence in the tattoo artist, who may not know the language you want your tattoo inked in. It doesn’t mean you can put the blame on them—it’s not their job to work as language editors, but rather to give you a beautiful and precise work of ink you’ll likely carry for the rest of your life.

And third, a momentary impulse to get a tattoo without really thinking it through is most likely to blame. When your head is in the clouds and you really get fascinated with a particular character which, in your mind, looks amazing, sounds amazing and carries an amazing meaning, you don’t even think of the prospect of regret. This dawns on you after you leave the tattoo parlor, after someone who really knows the language starts cringing while making you regret the decision.

But no matter what kind of tattoo you’re getting, whether it’s hanzi, kanji, something impulsive, something you ink while drunk, or something you made while a teen in your friend’s garage, regret is a big part of being an owner of the tattoo. And while proud owners don’t have it, others, like the tattoo aficionados in this list, probably know the feeling when otherwise perfect inkwork suddenly turns sour.

So in order to find out more about tattoo regrets and how to avoid them, Bored Panda reached out to Orsolya Molnár, a London-based professional tattoo artist who has been tattooing people since 2014. She specializes in delicate blackwork, dotwork, black & grey and linework tattoos, as well as florals, birds, animals and other naturalistic designs that fit the body.

“In my opinion, these days people are a lot more deliberate when it comes to getting a tattoo,” Orsolya said and added that they do more research and put more energy into coming up with an idea.

Having said that, Orsolya confirmed that there will always be people who regret a tattoo for some reason or other. “Usually they regret it because they chose the wrong tattoo artist and don't like the outcome or because they got tattooed younger in the '90s or early 2000s and they no longer want to have those older ones. However, nowadays it is a lot easier to get old tattoos removed or covered up.”

“Another type of tattoo that people often regret is their significant other's name on their body—I've had to cover up quite a few of these on clients,” she recounted.

When asked what kind of tattoo design the professional artist would refuse to do on a client’s body, Orsolya said that all respectable tattoo artists would refuse any sort of hate symbols or signs. “I personally don't tattoo minors either. But unfortunately, as in any profession, there are always some who would do it,” she said.

“Otherwise, sometimes clients reach out and want a design in a very specific style that isn't what I do usually—I would most likely refuse them as well. It's always best to go to an artist that specializes in the style that you want.”

Before getting a tattoo, Orsolya reminds everyone to do their research to see that you like the work and style of the artist you want to go to. “Nowadays, it's very easy to find good tattoo artists on Instagram. Once you have the artist and you know what you want to get, reach out to them and tell them what you're thinking about. But be open to some changes if it makes the tattoo better.”