# Does this tattoo mean anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837 "2011-03-15T21:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/1 "2011-03-15T21:57:27Z")
Saw this cool tattoo in a picture on a guy’s forearm and was really taken by the design of it. I was wondering if it means anything, other than to the guy who had it on his forearm. [![](https://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af342/rainyjames/design.jpg) ](https://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af342/rainyjames/design.jpg) The photo was actually of the guy’s child, so I didn’t want to post it on the web, instead I made a drawing of the design for you guys to look at. -rainy ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/2 "2011-03-15T22:00:00Z")
It means “Man who has too many martinis end up with chicken legs.” An old Chinese saying by Confucius. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/3 "2011-03-16T00:46:47Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > It means “Man who has too many martinis end up with chicken legs.” An old Chinese saying by Confucius. Dadnubit! I was going to make that joke! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/4 "2011-03-16T01:51:01Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Dadnubit! I was going to make that joke! No, I was! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/5 "2011-03-16T03:09:56Z")
Continuing with the martini theme, I consider that it means pretty much what every tattoo means: The wearer got drunk and happened to be within staggering distance of a tattoo parlor. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/6 "2011-03-16T13:19:02Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > “Man who has too many martinis end up with chicken legs.” That’s deep. ---
**Author:** ![Lorski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Lorski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorski)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/7 "2011-03-16T13:34:55Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Continuing with the martini theme, I consider that it means **pretty much what every tattoo means** : The wearer got drunk and happened to be within staggering distance of a tattoo parlor. Bolding mine. Not true. I was stone cold sober with every one of mine. Can’t comment on the OP, my work computer won’t let me access the link. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/8 "2011-03-16T13:48:56Z")
I’m just glad the [Mach-5](http://www.brainmole.com/speedracer/images_speedracer/Mach_5_Steering_Wheel.jpg) doesn’t have a martini dispenser. “Trixy! I’m programming robot homing bird for olive detection. Do you know if Sparky refilled the Vermouth dispenser?” “Its not going to do you any good, Speed. Sprittle and Chim-chim ate all the lemon peels and had an ice-cube fight back at the garage.” “_Argh…Ooooooooh!_” Will Speed get his martini? Will Pops punish Sprittle and Chim-chim for the icecube fight? Where the Hell is Trixy going in that helicopter? Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of… _Speed Racer_…! ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/9 "2011-03-16T16:09:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Continuing with the martini theme, I consider that it means pretty much what every tattoo means: The wearer got drunk and happened to be within staggering distance of a tattoo parlor. You do know that any decent or even half-decent tattoo shop won’t tattoo drunk people, right? Not only is it opening them up for lawsuits, the thinning effect of alcohol on blood is detrimental on the way tattoos come out. Heck, a good tattooist will tell you not even to take aspirin that day. ---
**Author:** ![VoronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3ab097/32.png) [@VoronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VoronX)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/10 "2011-03-17T17:11:31Z")
> [@rainy](#): > > Saw this cool tattoo in a picture on a guy’s forearm and was really taken by the design of it. I was wondering if it means anything, other than to the guy who had it on his forearm. > > [http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af342/rainyjames/design.jpg](http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af342/rainyjames/design.jpg) > > The photo was actually of the guy’s child, so I didn’t want to post it on the web, instead I made a drawing of the design for you guys to look at. > > -rainy Appropriate that it had a picture of his child. I think your picture is upside down, though. These are [Family System Signs](http://www.symbols.com/index/wordindex-f.html)from an ancient symbology, according to [Symbols.com](http://Symbols.com). The ones in the middle are [Woman](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/40/403.html)and [Man,](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/04/0434.html) (left to right), but are upside down. The one at the bottom (top) is [Family](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/41b/41b41.html). Following clockwise from family, they are “[mother with child"](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/54/5428.html), ["woman with child](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/42/4279.html)”, [“childbirth”,](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/54/5427.html)woman with child, woman, and woman with child. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/11 "2011-03-17T17:49:48Z")
> [@VoronX](#): > > I think your picture is upside down, though. Awesome. Thanks for the info! Hmmm…The photo was taken over the guy’s shoulder. The child, actually a baby was the subject of the photo, all that was visible of him was his left forearm, hands supporting the baby, and part of the back of his head. So my view of the tattoo was the same as his would be. If he held his arm up in front of him and viewed it, it appeared like my illustration. So I guess he intended for it to be right side up to others viewing it – which seems backwards to me. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/12 "2011-03-17T18:07:05Z")
> [@rainy](#): > > Hmmm…The photo was taken over the guy’s shoulder. The child, actually a baby was the subject of the photo, all that was visible of him was his left forearm, hands supporting the baby, and part of the back of his head. So my view of the tattoo was the same as his would be. If he held his arm up in front of him and viewed it, it appeared like my illustration. So I guess he intended for it to be right side up to others viewing it – which seems backwards to me. That’s how my arms tattoos are, and most people’s that I know. If my arms are hanging at my sides, it’s right side up to anyone looking at me. Like [this](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/pbarmy/typetat.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/13 "2011-03-17T18:12:13Z")
> [@filling\_pages](#): > > That’s how my arms tattoos are, and most people’s that I know. If my arms are hanging at my sides, it’s right side up to anyone looking at me. On further thought, of course it would have to be that way because all tattoos on the upper arm have the shoulder as “up.” Duh. I guess it would be silly to reverse the orientation at the elbow. Wow, ignorance fought on two points today…time for a nap! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-tattoo-mean-anything/574837/14 "2011-03-17T18:12:59Z")
> [@VoronX](#): > > These are [Family System Signs](http://www.symbols.com/index/wordindex-f.html)from an ancient symbology, according to [Symbols.com](http://Symbols.com). Good find! I learned something new today.