I’ve become a regular reader of the engrish-for-Chinese blog hanzismatter.com, and it’s quite clear that people have no clue what their reading in Chinese EVEN when they’re getting words TATTOOED on their bodies. So, I’ve gotten to thinking about the urban legend I heard in middle school that some of the apparel with Chinese characters on them sold in the US actually said things like “Stupid, Fat American” or something to that effect.
Has that ever really been done? Anyone seen one?
I know this is GQ and I would love to give you a factual answer but all I can say is I wish it were true. Not because the slogan should be on a tshirt but more because the “Engrish” instructions that come with anything made in China makes me HOPE that someone somewhere was having a joke!
My Uncle served in Veitnam. While on R&R in Malaysia (and very drunk) he got a tattoo. The very next day he was informed that the tattoo he got was one that was illegal (some Malaysian military thing). He didn’t roll up his sleeves for some quite some time apparently.
My brother who is either brave and stupid or just stupid got a tattoo in Camodia. The tattoo is one of those ethnic armband type deals, in Camodian letters. He believes it says “Beer, Breakfast of Champions”. I like to think it says “Yet Another Plonker”.
I haven’t seen one but have looked. There are a few Chinese one’s in China that are kinda Chinese language jokes like ‘please line up/qing pai dui.’ These aren’t the same as what you’re looking for though. I would certainly buy one
Just an anecdote, but quite apt.
When I was in Thailand last year, a British friend wanted the Thai word for “courage” tattooed discreetly on her foot, to honour the strength of the tsunami survivors.
She approached a Thai friend who spoke reasonable English - albeit not great - and asked her “please can you write down the word ‘courage’ in Thai for me?”
Our Thai friend wrote some characters on a piece of paper, and the British girl went off to the tattoo artist.
Just before he started inking, he said “I’m interested: why do you want a tattoo of the word for ‘curry’?” :smack:
At www.j-list.com , you can get t-shirts that say, in Japanese, dumb foreigner, I am a pervert, looking for a Japanese girlfriend, and assorted other phrases. They do make the translations clear, or at least that’s what they say. If it turns out to say, “I obey all laws governing bad breath,” it’s not hard to remove a shirt.
J-list’s site does offer porny cartoons, but you have to click through a page where you claim to be over 18. They also sell Japanese snack food and Hello Kitty gear.