Friends new tattoo...does it make sense?

[emsbugbug]

I have tried to decipher this all morning and cannot figure it out. My friend got this tattooed last night and won't tell us what it means. Can anyone help, please?

[skylee]

上帝的指引我 -> http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=1&wdqb=%E4%B8%8A%E5%B8%9D%E7%9A%84%E6%8C%87%E5%BC%95%E6%88%91

the 3rd character does not make sense. no it is not good.

[paike]

it means, "your friend got a bad tattoo"

the fourth and fifth characters mean: to show the way, guide, etc. The first two, God, capital g. So its, God's guiding me. But the grammar is off, i dont know why there would be the third character.

next time, tell him if God tells him to get a tattoo, make it in a language he understands. *zing*

[freshysauce]

I think its supposed to be "上帝指引我“ which would mean something like "God is guiding me/God is leading me/God is showing me the way".

EDIT: Whoops, too slow. Sorry for the redundancy

Edited February 23, 2012 at 02:45 PM by freshysauce

[jbradfor]

I assume the 的 is there to make it "God's guidance for me", rather than "God guide me". But I agree with you that the way it is written seems to be bad Chinese.

[skylee]

It does not "seem" to be bad Chinese. It is bad Chinese.

[emsbugbug]

She finally told us what she "thinks" it says. She says that the tattoo says "God guide my steps". I guess she was told wrong. So sad.

[adrianlondon]

The photo looks fake.

[shinewind]

this is interesting. We always prefer something we don't understand over what we do understand? Putting something you don't really understand on your body will never be a smart decision. this will be like a bad haircut forever...

[muirm]

Well, more like an interesting haircut that happens to not appeal to people that can read Chinese. Most everyone else will probably think it looks pretty cool, though. She doesn't have to tell people about its incorrectness.

[Shelley]

I have to agree with adrianlondon, it looks fake.

If it is fake the person has got off lightly.

If it is photoshop then thats ok no harm done, if it is temorary tattoo then soap and water will be the best thing, as it is one of the worst tattoos I have seen here, not only the font but the sentiment. Terrible way of saying it.

Even a bad haircut will eventually grow out, but a bad tattoo is there forever.

I wonder do people get tattoos in other languages like french, or russian for example that is not their own language.

Is there a russian forum full of people with bad tattoos:)

.

[feng]

The redness around the edges makes me think it cant be fake. Either that or someone is both knowledgeable about tattoos and really good at photoshop.

[hbuchtel]

Maybe she could have the 的 removed by laser...making it "上帝 (significant pause...) 指引我"

[Kenny同志]

Remove 的, and add a comma in; also, add "好吗？" at the end. Then the tattoo would read: "上帝，指引我好吗? (God, will You please guide me)“.

[feng]

Maybe the 的 actually makes sense in cantonese or some other dialect?

[skylee]

Not in Cantonese. Not sure about other dialects.