Monday, November 9, 2009

Love - Mirror-Imaged

Sabrina sent me this Chinese tattoo confirmation with the following:

"Meaning - Love.
Tattoo is on my wrist and not near any others."



Hi Sabrina,

This appears to be a mirror-imaged version of the character for "love". Although it would be understood by most, it is not correct in Kanji nor in Chinese. (i.e. imagine the English word "love" but spelled backwards and the letter "e" mirror imaged).

* If your camera/computer happened to mirror the image, and the tattoo is actually the reverse of the image you sent, then you're okay.

To avoid getting a mirror-imaged Chinese tattoo, it's a good idea to consult a native Chinese speaker beforehand, or even ask at your local Chinese restaurant. Many Chinese people would be happy to help, provided that you have done your homework and are on the right track.