Japanese tattoo symbols are popular everywhere in the world, especially in America and Europe. It is easy to see why. They are understated, elegant, and compact. They are the perfect way to make perfect tattoo designs. Such tattoos are kanji tattoos. Kanji is actually a system of writing in Japan. Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters that find their uses in the Japanese writing system.
They find their uses together with the Japanese syllabic scripts katakana and hiragana. The Japanese term kanji for the Chinese characters literally means “Han characters.” To the untrained eye, both the Chinese and the Japanese look similar. It is actually written with the same characters in the Chinese language to refer to the character writing system hanzi.
Just like we said, the Japanese writing system has three sorts of scripts: kanji, katakana, and hiragana. However, kanji is definitely the most utilized one in tattoo designs. Many tattoos in both the West and East will use these types of symbols to spell out special or significant words like “love.”
Usually, kanji tattoo designs look stunning and unique and are in high demand these days. So, if you are a tattoo lover, ensure to choose the correct character that denotes proper meaning. Do this in order to lend a touch of authenticity to this beautiful form of artwork.
The kanji symbols are definitely the masterpiece made out of a few strokes of the paintbrush. They provide more than ten meanings.
Here are some kanji tattoos used in combination with other things, such as birds, swords, nature themes, etc.:
- Kanji tattoo in combination with a ninja sword.
This is an excellent tattoo with beautiful kanji tattoo meaning too. The ninja sword in the tattoo is the symbol of bravery and valor. However, kanji tattoos mean legendary and loyalty. The ninja warriors were experiencing the feeling of loyalty towards their nation. The sword represents how the legends defended the natives with honor. The people that choose this tattoo are mostly soldiers, militants, army men, and so on. The youngsters also wear it, especially for the pride of their nation.
- Kanji tattoo in combination with a dove.
The dove symbolizes peace, love, and hope. However, different cultures have various other meanings. For example, in Chinese culture, it symbolizes a healthy and long lifestyle. The kanji symbol used in the combination also expresses peace. This kind of tattoo design is more popular among all bird kanji designs. It has its own authentic fashion statement, together with a small message.
- Kanji tattoo in combination with nature.
The kanji and nature combination tattoos is an authentic combination for all tattoo lovers. You can express nature in any of your favorite ways of framing this tattoo. Nature is always the symbol of new energy and life. However, the kanji symbol here indicates beauty and peace.
- Kanji Yin and Yang symbol tattoo.
The simple, yet classic Chinese concept of Yin and Yang is actually the symbol of a perfect balance. Yin represents the dark side of nature, while Yang represents the light one. They denote how two opposing forces are complementary to one another, and their connection in the universe.
- Kanji tattoo in combination with cherry blossom.
Cherry blossoms are the symbols of life because of the nature of their blooming. They often find their uses in Japanese art, namely the traditional art of Japanese tattoos. They are often in combination with kanji symbols, in order to give it a more enduring look. Soft in appearance, as well as radiant in its color tone, it will look simple, but also alluring.
- Kanji tattoo in combination with Phoenix.
The Phoenix, which is a mythological bird, rises from the ashes. It symbolizes resurrection and rebirth. It can be in combination with Japanese kanji, and it will be an excellent piece of body art as such. This combination is very common most likely because of the legend about the bird behind it.
- Kanji tattoo in combination with a dragon.
The dragon symbolizes strength and power. The delicate curves, as well as angles together with its characteristic fiery look, blend well with the kanji lettering making it ideal for a person that possesses great strength of character. Also, the dark and light gray and black shade makes it more eye-catchy.
- Love expressing kanji symbol tattoo.
This small tattoo design expresses a symbol of love. The people that are quite loving in nature often carry this particular design. This kanji symbol tattoo is common among women and teen girls. It is an impressive small tattoo that catches the hearts of everyone.
- Tribal kanji tattoo symbol.
The Japanese kanji tattoos are actually a mixture of Japanese tattoo and tribal tattoo. The black base often gives the tattoo a marvelous look. This tattoo is the symbol of eternity.
The Japanese kanji characters with a Chinese origin are actually simplified traditional Chinese characters. However, most of them have different simplifications than simplified Chinese. There are almost 50,000 kanji characters, and you can use whichever you want for your next tattoo design.