# Do you know the Chinese meaning of your tattoo? The mystery of the "fairy" of the one meter eight big man
## Description
In this multicultural era, more and more foreigners are trying to tattoo some Chinese characters or words on their bodies. And how many stories and misunderstandings are hidden behind these seemingly simple words? Today, we are going to talk about a 1.8-meter-tall man with a "fairy" tattoo on his arm, and does he really know the meaning of these two words?
## Body
Hello, my name is Jack, 33 years old, from California, United States. Personally, my life has always been pretty simple: the sun, the beach, the view overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the occasional bar with friends. My family background is also not bad, my parents are ordinary people who are engaged in education, although I have not been exposed to traditional culture too much, but I have been very interested in the culture of other countries since I was a child.
This is especially evident when I chose the Chinese language and culture course when I was in college. I remember that at that time, I was full of enthusiasm to learn Chinese, and even thought that it was really cool to travel and work in China in the future. So, I started my own journey of learning Chinese. Although the pronunciation and writing of Chinese was a bit challenging for me, I enjoyed it because I was eager to learn about this ancient and mysterious culture.
As time went by, my Chinese skills gradually improved, and I made many Chinese friends. In order to be more integrated into this circle, one day I decided to get a special Chinese tattoo on my arm. I think it's so interesting that you pointed to your tattoos and talked to your friends in Chinese! After much consideration, I chose the word "fairy". That's right, it's the kind of woman who is considered beautiful, elegant, and agile in Chinese culture.
In my opinion, "fairy" is not only nice to hear, but also represents a dreamy feeling. Thinking of this, I couldn't wait to make an appointment with a tattoo artist. The whole process lasted about an hour, and I sat in my chair, feeling the subtle pain of the needle tipping on my skin, but my heart was full of anticipation. However, it was only after the tattoo was completed that I realized the problem.
One weekend a few weeks later, a good friend of mine, Mary, happened to be a guest at my house. She is a Chinese-American designer based in Los Angeles who is fluent in Chinese and English. When she saw the tattoo on my arm, her eyes flickered for a moment, and then she smiled meaningfully.
"Wow, Jack, you have a pretty special tattoo, 'fairy'?" She said, with a slightly playful look on her face, "Are you sure you know what that means?" ”
I was stunned for a moment, and thought to myself, "Of course I know, doesn't this mean a beautiful girl?" So I confidently replied, "Of course, I know, this is 'fairy', doesn't it mean beautiful?" ”
Mary's smile seemed to deepen, and she continued: "Actually, 'fairy' has more meaning in Chinese, not only to refer to beautiful women, but also to many mythical, dreamy and otherworldly things. Have you ever thought that maybe this tattoo has made you the embodiment of some kind of 'fairy'? ”
When I heard this, my heart was suddenly confused. Did I inadvertently turn myself into some kind of mythical figure? Thinking about it, I felt a little uneasy in my heart: "But, I'm not a girl, will this tattoo make others think I'm weird?" ”
However, instead of showing it, I joked: "Haha, then I have to dress up and try to work towards the 'fairy'!" ”
Our conversations made me realize that culture can sometimes be misunderstood in the process of transmission. While I think my tattoo is cool, without a deep understanding of the cultural heritage of the term, it can become an awkward misreading.
As time went on, I became more and more exposed to Chinese culture. In my conversations with my friends, I learned many stories about "fairies", such as how they danced in folklore and were depicted in poetry as dreamlike. These stories gave me a deeper understanding of the word, and I began to appreciate the richness of this culture.
But at the same time, I was also faced with the question: should I get this tattoo off? Because it's out of place, it might make me look out of place on certain occasions. So, I began to struggle, and all possible scenarios kept coming to my mind - my friends laughed when they saw my tattoo; Some people even asked me directly: "Why do you want to tattoo a 'fairy'?" ”
I began to be more careful about where I interacted with people, for fear that I would be embarrassed when someone mentioned my tattoo. However, instead of reacting as I expected, my friends found the tattoo funny and made a lot of humorous jokes about it.
Gradually, I realized that my original attitude towards tattoos may not have to be so rigorous. Life is full of unpredictable fun, just like this "fairy" tattoo, although it is a little misunderstood, it has also become a bridge between me and my friends, and our relationship has become closer. More importantly, it made me realize that each culture has its own unique value, just like the perspective and inspiration that my friends in China brought to me.
After thinking about it for a while, I decided to stop dwelling on the meaning of tattoos and treat it as a little pleasure in life. I even started telling my friends about the fairy to share my understanding of the word and leading them to explore more about Chinese culture. After all, the profundity of culture lies not only in the literal, but also in the communication and understanding between people.
Now, my "fairy" tattoo is like a little mark on my life's journey, which pushes me to explore, to learn, and to become a more interesting version of myself. In this multicultural intersection, I feel not only cultural differences, but also the resonance of hearts and minds between people.
Finally, I would like to say that no matter how you choose a tattoo, you might as well pursue the meaning that really touches you. Even a small Chinese character can contain endless stories and possibilities. The joy of life lies precisely in how we understand and experience those seemingly ordinary but profound things.
In this way, not only did I understand the true meaning of "fairy", but I also hoped that through this experience, I could influence more people around me to pay attention to and understand the beauty of different cultures. After all, sometimes, differences are the spice of life and make our lives more exciting.
(ENDS)