Deer

Reader Dimitri emails:"Hello Tian, I am a long time reader of your blog. Last week while visiting the city of Val-d'Or (Quebec) in Canada, I found the following plastic leg 'tattooed' in the front window of a tattoo parlor. In this picture, you can clearly see the character is upside down. Could it be they wanted to make sure the tattooed person...

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Eternal Love

Reader Neko emails:"One of my friends from high school recently got this tattoo. She claims it means 'Eternal Love'. I found 'Eternal' in my books, but could not find anything even closely resembling her version of love. Is it a translation I simply haven't seen before? I did end up finding a 'flash' version of this same thing online somewhere, but...

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Condo Tiles

Reader Michael Bolduc emails:"Tian, I am a realtor and these are in a condo a client of mine wants to buy. He's not wild about the tile mosaic around these tiles and is considering removing the whole thing. These tiles are on the facing of the breakfast bar. Do they say what is reported in English? Thanks for your help."I have never seen "family" is...

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FHM Lithuania March 2005

fhmlt032005.jpgJennifer Virskus from FHM Lithuania has sent me a copy of March 2005 issue of the magazine, where Hanzi Smatter was featured on page 12's "Eggs of the World" section.Since I do not understand Lithuanian, would anyone that does please translate it for me? Than...

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New York Yankees Kanji Cap

http://www.starbulletin.com/2000/02/15/features/story1.htmlI know "New York Yankees" is "ニューヨーク・ヤンキース" in Japanese Katakana and 紐約洋基 in Chinese. According to the news story, the character on the cap suppose to be Kanji for New York Yankees, but I have never seen the character before. Could anyone please verify th...

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New Rules by Bill Maher

http://www.hbo.com/billmaher/new_rules/20050513.htmlReader Jerry has forward this quote from Bill Maher:"New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you spiritual. It's right above the crack of your ass. And it translates to 'beef with broccoli.' The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you...

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Old Navy's Temple of Strength Tee

oldnavy_yangshuo1.jpgoldnavy_yangshuo02.jpgI spotted this t-shirt at a local Old Navy store. I don't know if "Temple of Strength" really exists in Yangshuo. I also do not understand the significance of using the character 萬 on the shirt.Update: Random Chinese Characters Used As Marketing ToolDate: Tue, 24 May 2005 08:36:03 -0400From: "oldnavy.com...

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$320 Pair of "Self-Suspicion"

http://www.thedailysnkr.com/air-force-1-lebron-james-hype.htmlReader Bruce Spragg emails about a new line of Nike sneakers for Lebron James. This particular pair shown above is $320, and that is cheap! Since there were only 300 pairs of these made, sneaker pimps are selling them on eBay for as high as $9,000 according to news report (video).So what...

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Does This Say "Love"?

Reader Sonja emails:"Hi Tian!!! Ok, here is my tattoo that apparently says 'Love'. I think ill cry if you tell me it says horse... ;-( LOL I'm kidding... Sort of.... When I got it they said it was an ancient Japanese Buddhist dialect I think called... Kanji? Or something? Oh I cant remember anymore... I'm very excited to get my new ones now... !!!...

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Interview with RTHK Radio 3

Yesterday I did a telephone interview about Hanzi Smatter with Mr. Hugh Chiverton of RTHK Radio 3. Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK 香港電台) Radio 3 broadcasts in English covers news, information, and general programming. It is similar in genre to BBC Radio 4.rthk20050512.smi (real audio)rthk20050512.mp3 (m...

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Airbrushed Tats at Cornell's Slope Day 2005

http://asia.elliottback.com/archives/2005/05/06/bad-chinese-tattoos/Reader Elliott Back emails:"My girlfriend and I were at Cornell University's Slope Day today, and they were offering airbrushed tattoos, some of which were in Chinese. Of course, she told me that half the descriptions didn't match the characters at all. I'm a longtime reader of your...

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Fashionable Chinese Characters

http://www.voanews.com/chinese/2005-05-06-voa82.cfmhttp://home.donews.com/donews/article/7/77489.htmlIn recent Voice of America's News Chinese section, there is an article about Hanzi Smatter titled "汉字渐成美国年轻人追求时尚"; or in English, "American Youth Consider Chinese Characters Fashionable". (more at voanews.com and donews.com)What I personally found...

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"Poison" vs. "Wife"

Reader A. Hanagata emailed this photo with the following description:"I'm Japanese, and a friend of mine has this tattoo... she told me it meant 'poison' and I told her that it most certainly did not. Perhaps in Chinese it means something. I personally do not recognize it."I used the similar font that tattoo was done, the closest character I have found...

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3D Car FX

http://www.3dcarfx.com/KANJI.htmListen up, all you import mod fans, you can make fools out of yourselves and cars by placing these incorrect Kanji stickers on your rides.柬 does not mean "beauty", it means "letter, invitation; choose".切 does not mean "extreme", it means "cut, mince, slice, carve".I have no idea what that "follow" character is.宴 does...

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"Central Ice"

http://www.tattoostation.co.uk/images/gallery/large_kanji.jpghttp://www.tattoostation.co.uk/gal8.htmlThe top two characters 中部 usually means "central". In geographical term, there is an area just south and south-west of Tokyo that is called the same. In Japanese, 中部 would sometimes also represent the "heart", as the equivalent of "center".The bottom...

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