Chinese symbol for Courage, not matching up

[Ex0dus13]

Wife got this tattoo and says its courage, we looked it up one day, and come to find out that it dosnt match what google and a few other sites say. Can someone help!

[renzhe]

It looks like 犬過.

I don't think it's a fixed phrase (at least I don't know it). 犬 is dog, and 過 has many meanings.

[skylee]

I think it is 大過, that dot belongs to the boat under 過.

I am not sure if it is related to Hexagram 28 of I-ching - 大過 (dà guò) - 君子以獨立不懼，遁世無悶。 A gentleman should not be daunted while standing alone. He should not be dejected while withdrawing from society and living in privacy (source).

[roddy]

Is there another part of the tattoo up above? That might help.

[skylee]

roddy, clicking the link in #1 the picture is displayed in the same window, not a new window. Is this normal?

[xiaocai]

Maybe because it is a direct link to the picture?

[jbradfor]

I think what skylee means is that normally if you click on an external link that is in a posting, it opens in a new tab/window. However, the link in the OP does not. I'm seeing that as well. Weird.

[Ex0dus13]

The tattoo above it is the symbol for Love, and shes going to get eternity now that we're married. So far i got something about a dog, and a boat lol ? Thanks so much for you help so far. So any concrete ideas ?

[ma3zi1]

Your wife is not the only one to have been lied to about that tattoo.

For instance see:

http://www.hanzismatter.com/2005/10/big-mistake.html

and:

http://www.hanzismatter.com/2005/07/dogging-past.html

Sorry my friend!

[roddy]

roddy, clicking the link in #1 the picture is displayed in the same window, not a new window. Is this normal?

Should be fixed, for new posts at least.

[renzhe]

Thanks so much for you help so far. So any concrete ideas ?

I think that the version with 大過 ( = big mistake) is the correct one, as evidenced by the links to tattoo sites.

It doesn't mean either love or courage.

[anonymoose]

So any concrete ideas ?

Yes. Have the next one checked out before it's tattooed on.

[rivercao]

IMHO: 大过 in some cases means "bigger than", but only if there are other things to be compared. An example:

我的爱大过一切 means "My love is bigger than anything."

But, if it is the only characters of the tattoo, the meaning must be “big mistake”.

[YingTao]

Ouch, this tattoo does say it like it is though... Getting another language tattooed on you without checking is indeed a big mistake.

Well at least you have a funny story I guess.