I don't have a tattoo, but once I ordered a Chinese dictionary from a bookstore. The clerk's hair was dyed an unnatural color and she had a nose ring. When I told her the title of the book I wanted to order, her countenance brightened, and she said, "Oh, are you going to get a tattoo?" Totally natural coming from her, but I was a bit taken aback, as the thought would never have crossed my mind.

I don't want to stereotype everyone who gets a Chinese/Japanese character tattoo, but to a large degree, I think such tattoos are the Western equivalent of Engrish. If I ever did get a tattoo in another language, I would want to make dead certain that I understood the grammar and syntax of the language, as well as the full range of meanings of all the words/characters used in the tattoo. I'd do the same if I was buying a t-shirt, but at least you can bury your t-shirt in the bottom of the dresser, give it to Goodwill, or whatever, if you find out it doesn't say quite what you thought it said.