"Ronin" as a tattoo

[John Lindsey]

A guy I work with has a big tattoo on his arm of the kanji for ronin. It looks a bit silly, and I am trying to find some alternate translate or slang use of the word to let him know how silly it is...

Any ideas?

[Kenzan]

A guy I work with has a big tattoo on his arm of the kanji for ronin. It looks a bit silly, and I am trying to find some alternate translate or slang use of the word to let him know how silly it is...

Any ideas?

You could just try to educate him on what the term "Ronin" stood for.
~Or just let it go. It's his Tattoo after all, right?

[Walker]

Ask him how long he's been unemployed and then tell him to get a job so he doesn't have to wear his silly tattoo any more. :)

[Shindai]

I'm sure if you do nothing, somebody else will let him know soon enough in their own way. Your conscience will be clear, and he'll know better in time :)

Dan Gould

[nicojo]

Hey John,

Sympathize with him that he didn't make it in to university and wish him best luck for his test-over. Of course this may exacerbate any anti-academic tendencies he may or may not have.


The term rōnin is also used in modern Japan for those who have failed the entrance examination for a university (or other school). This use derives from their having no school to attend, as a ronin samurai has no leader to serve. From Wikipedia.org "Ronin".

Of course, maybe he was so distraught about not getting in that he joined the Yakuza! There's a double-whammy of japanese culture/history for him.

Good luck over there.

[BC]

Tell him that I don't like it when people tattoo my surname on themselves, and that he's lucky the tattoo artist forgot the "C"! ;)

[RickMatz]

Anyone considering getting a tattoo in a language they can't read should spend some time at http://www.Hanzismatter.com

[Shindai]

Always found it funny/sad how people would get a tattoo of a language they don't understand. The reasons are demonstrated beautifully in the Dirty Sanchez movie, where Pritchard wants "Sleep When I'm Dead" tattooed on his arm in Russian, but Dainton tells the tattooist to tat him with "I love Johnny Knoxville."

I've been tempted a few times to get some Kanji inked on me, but I always worried about if they cocked it up, and what happens if I go to Japan then? It'd be like having a Japanese guy having "love" in English tattooed on his arm, it must provide the speakers of the languages a right laugh.

[Gusta in Japan]

Always found it funny/sad how people would get a tattoo of a language they don't understand. The reasons are demonstrated beautifully in the Dirty Sanchez movie, where Pritchard wants "Sleep When I'm Dead" tattooed on his arm in Russian, but Dainton tells the tattooist to tat him with "I love Johnny Knoxville."

I've been tempted a few times to get some Kanji inked on me, but I always worried about if they cocked it up, and what happens if I go to Japan then? It'd be like having a Japanese guy having "love" in English tattooed on his arm, it must provide the speakers of the languages a right laugh.
Actually if you have any kind of tattoo you will be looked down on and many public places will not allow you entry with tattoos on display.

[Oda]

There was on guy on e-budo three years ago with the same "ronin"-tattoo and he got funny responses as well.

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showpost.php?p=261567&postcount=7

[streem26]

You could just try to educate him on what the term "Ronin" stood for.
~Or just let it go. It's his Tattoo after all, right?:toast: you have to prove yourself first and your creativity . And off-topic (dont want create new topic) How do you think ,cherry blossom tattoo like that (http://tattoo-journal.com/30-fantastic-cherry-blossom-tattoos/) look kitsch or not? my friend wants to do it but I trying to dissuade

[CEB]

I wonder how John is doing.