Decide Why
The first thing that you really should consider is why you want to get a tattoo of this type. After all there are lots of different tattoos out there and getting one just because your friend has one or because you read online that they were popular is not a good reason to get any tattoo. Some common reasons to want to get a Chinese tattoo design might be that Chinese is part of your own history and family heritage. Another reason might be that you really love the look, beauty and gracefulness of the writing system. It is very foreign and exotic and can be a nice way to express something in a secretive way. Also many people are drawn to Asian cultures through their studies of the martial arts and this can be another reason to get such a tattoo.
Choose Some Themes
The next step you will want to take once you have decided why you want a Chinese character tattoo is to think about some themes that you want to express. This is very much a personal choice and something you will have to look for inside yourself. Think about what you love and hold dear. What emotions, thoughts or feelings do you want to have other people know about you or things that you value greatly that you want to hold close to you. It might be that you have had a bad relationship with another person and feel weak now and want a tattoo to give your strength. Whatever the reason try to find something like a value that you hold close to your heart.
Consult With An Expert
Next you really should consult with an expert in the field of linguistics ora native speaker and writer of the language you are choosing to get tattooed on your body. All too often people skip this step and go ahead and jump into getting the tattoo inked on their arm. This often has very disastrous results. It can lead to illegible writing or even worse written words that mean something very different then what you wanted. Typically you can even find experts online that are will to help you.
So after you have have decided why you want the tattoo in general and come up with some ideas for the design and then lastly consulted with an expert in the language it is finally time to get the tattoo work inked on your body. This is the big stage and one that you should be looking forward to. Since you have done your research and chosen carefully you don't have anything to worry about. You will now be getting a tattoo that will be a wonderful display of something you hold near and dear to your heart.