This type of tattoo is very popular in Western civilizations because a message can be placed on the body without most people knowing of its meaning. This is why you could say that Chinese symbol tattoos have become a sort of exotic expression. If a Chinese symbol tattoo is what you want then you should consider different issues before you take action.
The first and most obvious thing is that you discuss your design with somebody that is familiar with the Chinese language and symbols. That person should also be familiar with various symbols and their meanings. Never have anybody tattoo you without knowing the exact meaning of the tattoo.
You shouldn't rush to the first Chinese person you come across to ask him or her about a specific symbol. It could be that the person misunderstands the symbol, isn't familiar with the symbol or simply makes a mistake.
One example of a mix-up is about a woman that asked the waiter of a Chinese Restaurant for some help. She asked him to write a Chinese symbol for "Free" on her napkin. However, this English word does not have only one way to be translated into Chinese, The woman was of course interested in the symbol meaning "Freedom" while the Chinese wrote down "Free of charge". This is the reason why consulting a Chinese specialist is very important. The right person can tell you exactly what a particular Chinese symbol tattoo means so you can save yourself from hassle and embarrassment.
It's important that you give your tattoo artist a perfect design so he can make a quality tattoo for you. You could settle with a cheap solution and find free translation services on the Internet, but the end result will in most cases be a poorly defined, small image, highly unsuitable for a quality tattoo. This is the reason why you should do your utmost best to find the right person to give you a super quality and professionally made design which has the meaning you wanted. Like this you will not be disappointed and embarrassed by the fact that you got a tattoo with a different meaning than intended.
Chinese symbol tattoos are beautiful and highly individual ways to express one's personality. Tattoos are a awesome tool to express yourself and getting a tattoo can be a wonderful experience. Chinese symbol tattoos can be seen quite often and the people that wear them usually are very satisfied with their tattoo. You could also enjoy this feeling but in order to do so you should make sure that you get the right design in your possession. You could say that obtaining the right information and Chinese symbol is what needs most of your attention with this kind of tattoo.