Want to create a standout tattoo?
We got you covered.

The Chinese Idiom Tattoo Handbook provides an easy-to-understand path to the complex world of Chinese script. Choose 漢字 to add meaning to large or small tattoos. Your life's path is unique — celebrate it with skin art that is too.

Looking for one of your own? Easy, Get It Here.

5,000 Years of History

Wisdom Condensed Into Four Characters.

From the Mandate of Heaven to The Art of War to Yin Yang lessons from the classics, get inspired with the power & confidence for your new tattoo.
Visit our blog for more interesting and nuanced aspects of the Chinese characters and idiom history.

Our blog posts.

3 Books,*More Ahead

With 3 curated pieces, you can be on your way to a new tattoo masterpiece. These books go beyond superficial one or two character tattoos, delivering the historical and cultural contexts that can make each day with your skin art meaningful.

More than a quote book, each book adds depth and insight in a different way.

Go here for new ideas Tattoo Handbook

Confidence before commit

Looking for a tattoo that's more than just ink? Afraid to pick the 'wrong' one? Our books are your ultimate guide. Whether you're a Chinese language pro or just starting out, we help you level up with generational idioms and proverbs. Make your tattoo a statement that's both cool and deeply meaningful.Find out what Beiber did wrong and what Beckham did right. All here, on our blog or in the book(s).

Ready for a free guide? Download it now

About our Books

When I first went to Taiwan in 1990 I wondered, How can people read pictures? As I learned about language and the remarkable idioms within Chinese, __ I asked How can so many wonderful life lessons and stories be summarized in four words?__I still don't have an answer. Instead, in these books, I attempt to narrow down 2000 or so years of history, from before the Oracle Bones to modern day use, to some ideas and concepts that are foolproof and powerful so you don't have to.

A few points:

1. We write in traditional characters (e.g. dragon 龍, not simplified 龙). Purists recognize beauty in the former.2. We focus on Chengyu, four or more character phrases that are steeped in history and culture. There are single and double character words , our books, just not that many.3. With some 13,000 phrases, some obscure and others inappropriate, our curating process is set up to give a strong recommendation on suitable tattoos. Even so, we encourage you to combine our peremptory research ideas with your own.Here are several resources: Collins, MDBG, DeepL.

Tattoos — why be ordinary?

We're all familiar with recurrent themes: clouds, roses, portraits. Let's take these designs to the next level. Chinese proverbs and sayings (Chengyu: 成語) are profound, and carry a long history and cultural nuance. So why be ordinary./nHere are a few ideas.For the Heaven, Sky & Clouds motif
Add 海闊天空 — as vast as the sea and sky. Pop! The tattoo now adds boundless possibilities and freedom.The Homage to a Parent
Consider 一日為師，終身為父 — a day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father.Your Birth Year is Tiger
Try 虎頭蛇尾 — Start strong and finishing strong, an in the mirror self motivation against losing momentum.The Fire-Breathing Dragon龍
How about: 龍飛鳳舞 — dragons flying and phoenixes dancing, a symbol of beauty and grace? Bam! Or 龍風呈祥 — a situation where everything seems to be going well and good fortune is on the horizon. Bam! Bam!!You want something unique, so pick up our guide to a create masterpiece of both form and meaning.

Chinese Tattoo Handbook