Domlewis Posted May 30, 2012 at 12:32 AM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 12:32 AM Hey everyone hope all is well I am getting my mother and fathers names tattoo'd in Chinese on my forearm. I was hoping someone could help me I am looking mainly for 'Richard and Dawn' Or otherwise 'Mum and Dad' At the moment I have this for 'Richard and Dawn' :理查德和黎明 Is this correct? Many thanks Dom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malanting Posted May 30, 2012 at 01:46 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 01:46 PM Richard is 理查德. But if Dawn is a name, it should be translated according to the pronunciation, not the meaning. So I would translate Dawn into 道恩 Mum and Dad is simple, 爸爸妈妈 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domlewis Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:13 PM Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:13 PM Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:21 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:21 PM Domlewis, I suggest you read the sticky thread "How to post, and how translating names into Chinese works" (click the URL below), if you have not yet done so. And do not forget to visit Hanzismatter. http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/13435-how-to-post-and-how-translating-names-into-chinese-works/ PS - Hanzismatter is here -> http://hanzismatter.blogspot.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:28 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:28 PM Good God, are you seriously suggesting he gets 爸爸妈妈 tattooed on his arm? In the entire armory of the Chinese language is there not some nice elegant idiom of filial piety and love for one's parents? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domlewis Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:48 PM Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:48 PM Yeah I'm looking for Richard and Dawn now, id rather have that then mum and dad, thanks for all your input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malanting Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:57 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:57 PM To #5 Why not 爸爸妈妈？Mum and Dad is an informal way of saying father and mother. 爸爸妈妈 is the informal way of saying 父亲母亲 Of course there would be better expressions(you can get a Chinese poem, for example) but that would not be translation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:59 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 02:59 PM Your tattoo will be "Lichade and Dao'en". But only in Mandarin -- native speakers of other Chinese languages will pronounce it much more strangely, and it will be total gibberish to the Japanese and Koreans. If that's what you want, fine, but you should be aware of it. The fact is that Chinese characters are really really bad for writing foreign names. People insist on doing it, since the characters are so beautiful, but it leads to many nonsensical tattoos, and is rarely what they really wanted. IMHO, a Chinese phrase makes more sense, and 父母 is better than 爸爸妈妈, but there are probably more meaningful things still. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted May 30, 2012 at 05:08 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 05:08 PM I find it strange that you would want your parents names tattooed on you. I personally would never call my parents by their first names. Mum and Dad was the norm after childhood mummy and daddy. Why do you want this tattoo? I agree with renzhe and Roddy makes a good point about the plainness of 妈妈 mama and 爸爸 baba. Take skylee's advice, do some more reasearch. When it comes to tattoos think once, think twice and then think some more. If you want honour your parents there must be some other way, plant a tree or 2 in their name, name a star after them ( yes you can do this ), or just tell them that you care and love them, that's all that really counts. Think it over and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 30, 2012 at 05:45 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 05:45 PM If he must get a Chinese tattoo (and you mustn't) then maybe something with 孝? Or just 孝？ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domlewis Posted May 30, 2012 at 06:14 PM Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 06:14 PM I am getting Richard and dawn, I understand and appreciate all of your inputs but I have made my decision and hope it goes well, thank you all In guessing malanting is correct with the Richard and dawn symbols, thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 30, 2012 at 06:22 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 06:22 PM Hope? Guessing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted May 30, 2012 at 08:20 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 08:20 PM Heres to hoping your guessing works out. Should have read the OPs original post better it does say " i am getting my mother and father ......" Seems to be no room to manouver, shame with something soooooooooooo permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted May 30, 2012 at 08:47 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 08:47 PM As long as you understand you're getting a transliteration of their name into Chinese, not a translation, and understand the difference between the two, are are OK with that, I guess we (should) have no more to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted May 30, 2012 at 08:58 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 08:58 PM In guessing malanting is correct with the Richard and dawn symbols, thanks again It's not incorrect, but it's only approximate. You should be aware of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted May 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM In guessing malanting is correct with the Richard and dawn symbols, thanks again Would getting the following words tattooed: Recharge dirt Door End also mean Richard & Dawn? This is basically what you're doing with the Chinese characters - taking ones that sound sort of similar to the English words (but not really) with no related meaning and then just stringing them together. If that's what you want for your tattoo, well, it's your body, but don't say people didn't try to warn you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaocai Posted May 31, 2012 at 02:06 AM Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 at 02:06 AM Once again, let me share my favourite picture about getting a Chinese tattoo (or rather, a tattoo in any language which you do not understand) with you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langxia Posted June 1, 2012 at 09:03 AM Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 at 09:03 AM My advice would be to get a chinese saying (chengyu) about love or thankfulness for your parents (I guess that is why you want their names tatooed) if you ever plan to go to china. I have a chengyu myself and get mostly positive reactions about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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