Dave1975 Posted January 3, 2015 at 05:05 AM Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 at 05:05 AM I recently had this tattoo done. I was told it meant 'honour'. However, I have also read somewhere that having this as a tattoo can be considered arrogant. I am really worried and having trouble sleeping. Does anyone have any advice for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 3, 2015 at 01:06 PM Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 at 01:06 PM http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E8%8D%A3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted January 3, 2015 at 01:08 PM Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 at 01:08 PM I think this is the character for rong2 written in traditional form. 荣 I can only input simplified characters. It means glory, honour and thriving. It can also be a surname Rong2. I don't know if it means arrogant, it might be who ever said it, meant maybe it can be seen as arrogant having this as tattoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1975 Posted January 3, 2015 at 01:54 PM Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 at 01:54 PM I think that is what he meant. That "giving it to yourself" as a tattoo could be seen as arrogant or prideful. Having said that, he is the only person I have spoken to who has suggested that. All other comments have been positive. I just wanted to see if the arrogance/prideful thing was a widespread feeling or not. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. I'd rather know than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted January 3, 2015 at 08:02 PM Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 at 08:02 PM I don't think it is any more or less arrogant than any other tattoo that proclaims something of this nature. I do not like tattoos so for me i just don't like it as a tattoo but not for what it means. I think you probably can ignore his comment, i think it is not a common idea. As you say he is the only one who has said it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1975 Posted January 3, 2015 at 08:18 PM Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 at 08:18 PM Thanks very much, Shelley. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I have been consulting with a woman in Hong Kong who has suggested adding the character 光 to make the phrase 光榮, which means 'honor and glory; and which, according to her, indicates you have great pride in something (such as a belief or one's family). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted January 4, 2015 at 06:07 AM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 06:07 AM IIRC, I had a Chinese co-worker who had that had that character in his name. If you accept that logic that if it's OK for your parents to name you that then it's OK to get a tattoo, you're fine :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted January 4, 2015 at 06:21 AM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 06:21 AM That's actually not so. Their name was given to them by their parents as their hopes and aspirations for their child. Totally different from giving it to yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiana Posted January 4, 2015 at 09:12 AM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 09:12 AM I am really worried and having trouble sleeping. Does anyone have any advice for me? OP, no need to lose sleep over this tattoo: 1. You knowingly chose the character ("Honour") for your tattoo and it's still there to remind you that "Honour" is important to you. So, do see this as a success. 2. You may not know, this character (榮) is one of the best-looking in Chinese calligraphy and it was expertly executed on you. You should be pleased with your good fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonic_Duck Posted January 4, 2015 at 09:59 AM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 09:59 AM I think that “honour” has two different meanings in English: “Internal” honour, which encompasses bravery, loyalty to friends and those who have helped you, fulfilling your duties, standing up for your beliefs etc. “External” honour, which would be things like the honour of receiving a highly coveted award, the honour bestowed upon a war hero returning from battle, the honour of being praised for your contributions to society etc. Of course, there's a close link between the two - perhaps a solder behaves with honour1 in battle by saving his injured comrade, and is rewarded with the honour2 of recieving a medal for bravery when he returns to his country. However, this doesn't mean they're the same thing. I'm assuming the OP intended the tattoo to mean “honour” in the first sense. “榮”, on the other hand, only corresponds to the second sense. I think that's why people could think it was arrogant. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted January 4, 2015 at 10:01 AM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 10:01 AM I agree with Tiana. The tattoo means what you wanted it to mean, it's a nice character and it's done well. I see how tattooing yourself with 'honour' can be seen as arrogant ('I honour myself, I think I'm so deserving of honour') and if that's how you intended it, it would be a bit arrogant. But I imagine you probably intended an aspiration, not a fact. 'I strive for honour, I hope my life/work can gain honour'. That's not arrogant, that's ambitious. Perhaps if you explain it to that person, he'll get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamille Posted January 4, 2015 at 01:49 PM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 01:49 PM I agree with the analyse of the meanings of "honour" as given by Demonic Duck. I also agree with his assumption that the meaning intended by OP was probably this of the first definition. I also agree that it's not the meaning of 榮 (something like 義 would have been closer). But I disagree that 榮 means the second definition only : 榮 is certainly very close to the meaning of "pride" but it's not always a bad thing to be proud. There's a world of difference between pride and arrogance. From an objective point of view, 榮 does not mean "bravery, loyalty to friends and those who have helped you, fulfilling your duties, standing up for your beliefs etc" but "pride". However I don't think tattooing "pride" on oneself is necessarily arrogant. I think you can definitely be proud without being arrogant (usually it's when you're proud of some kind of heritage that's not directly linked to you, like your culture or history, I'd say). Now there's also the subjective point of view: like you and Tiana said, the important thing is the meaning you give to this tattoo and not what you actually tattooed (especially if you live in an area where few people understand Chinese characters). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1975 Posted January 4, 2015 at 02:42 PM Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 02:42 PM Thank you to all of you for responding. You have summed up my dilemma and anguish perfectly. When I bought the design 2 years ago, it stated it was the symbol "honour". It was meant to be a symbol of how highly I regard honour and integrity in my self and others. It was also meant to symbolise how honoured I am to my parents, family and friends for what they mean to me. Now, having subsequently discovering that instead it means "to be honored" or "given an honor" (as Kamille said - a symbol of pride) I feel deflated and very sad. I was most certainly not meant to be that; but now I have a symbol on me from a culture that I have tremendous respect for that, because I gave it to myself as a tattoo, could make me look arrogant and prideful. To make matters worse, I am really worried what the Chinese teacher at the school where I work is going to think when we return to work in a few weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamille Posted January 4, 2015 at 03:27 PM Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 03:27 PM You look like you only see the bad side of things here. I really don't think you should take it that bad. You certainly don't have the part about regarding "honour and integrity in yourself and others" in this character but the part about you being grateful to your friends and family is definitely there, in that a reading of this character would be that you are proud to have them as friends/family, which is definitely a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1975 Posted January 4, 2015 at 03:38 PM Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 at 03:38 PM You are right, Kamille - I do. And I've been grappling with it for the past few weeks. Which is why I have come here and posted this topic - to try and get some perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted January 5, 2015 at 09:06 AM Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 at 09:06 AM I think you don't need to worry. It's a good character, the tattoo is well-executed, and if anyone doesn't get it, just explain to them how you intended it. If I'd see it without any explanation, the 'arrogant' meaning would never occur to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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