12 Best Japanese Koi Fish(Carp) Tattoo Design Ideas for Men and Women in 2020
Koi fish tattoos are usually very complicated and can often be seen on the bodies of body art enthusiasts. These works are usually full of curves, elegant angles and shimmering scales that reveal the remarkable nature of the Koi carp, considered to be a lucky creature. Koi is a Japanese word meaning carp but this fish is also a symbol very present in mythology. If you are interested in the symbolism behind koi fish tattoos, it may be an ideal design for you. But what is the meaning behind the different koi fish tattoo designs of these creatures?
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Meaning of Koi Fish Tattoos for Men and Women
These tattoos usually represent luck and fortune because, according to legend, the Koi would be able to go up the falls of the Yellow River to transform into a dragon. The koi often symbolizes someone's wish for personal improvement; that is why Japanese koi fish tattoos are often chosen by those who want to show their personal strength or perseverance in difficult situations. Those with high life expectancies also tend to get koi fish tattoos.
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Different Types of Koi Fish Tattoo Design Ideas for Men and Women
As the koi fish is a proof of steadfastness, these tattoos are made to show that goals have been achieved against all expectations. So there are hundreds of koi fish tattoo ideas that can be worked on. Normally, we do this by playing on the colors: black, white, yellow, orange, gold, red or gray. This fish has distinctive features that can be highlighted, such as its scales or its tail. Pay a lot of attention to details and you will have a tattoo that will make people envious and say a lot about your personal story.
Koi fish tattoos can have a number of different meanings, many of which are less common than the traditional orange and golden koi fish. The different directions in which koi carp swim also have their own meanings. We will discuss this later in this article.
1.Red Koi Fish Tattoo Design Idea for Men and Women
The red koi represents love, typically expressed in a strong and masculine way. Red is considered to be a very energetic color, which is why this tattoo is often considered one of the strongest contemporary koi fish tattoo designs.
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2.Black Koi Fish Tattoo Design Idea for Men and Women
The black koi often represents having positively overcome a major change. This change has usually come about in the face of adversity and suffering but the tattooed person has managed to overcome these difficulties and achieve the position they currently occupy.
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3.Blue Koi Fish Tattoo Design Idea for Men and Women
The blue koi fish tattoos are often considered very masculine but can also represent reproduction. If the blue fish is swimming upwards, it may symbolize having overcome a problem that one has been facing.
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4.Dragon Koi Fish Tattoo Design Idea for Men and Women
The dragon koi fish tattoos represent the fact of having overcome obstacles, because this type of koi fish, according to legend, would be able to go up the Yellow River and then transform into a dragon. Overcoming adversity is depicted, in this tattoo, by the force of the river and the fish swimming to achieve its goal and fulfill its destiny, a common message in koi fish tattoos.
Koi dragon tattoos also symbolize strength and willpower, the need to fight against fate to meet one's destiny. Dragons can represent rebirth or a new beginning. Those who have gone through divorce or bereavement will use this koi fish tattoo to represent a new chapter in their life.
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5.Koi Fish Yin and YangTattoo Design Idea for Men and Women
Yin and Yang represent balance and the belief that everything is connected. The Yin and Yang koi can also represent the Pisces zodiac sign.
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6.Lotus and Koi Fish Tattoo Design Idea for Men and Women
Lotus flowers are often depicted on koi fish tattoos. These flowers that grow on ponds are beautiful and very popular. The lotus is often associated with the koi, the meanings of which can be multiple. This tattoo can represent purity or a change of life. These two associated symbols can also represent struggle, determination or inevitable success.
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What Do Koi Fish Tattoos Represent?
The story of the Koi overcoming adversity has been around for generations in Japanese culture. According to legend, this fish would have ascended a waterfall despite the terrible current, which was trying to bring it down. The Koi would have fought with perseverance to ascend, because he really wanted to get there.
An alternate version of the history of the Koi fish in Chinese culture says that this carp managed to make it all the way up the Yellow River despite the current, to finally reach the Dragon Gate. She would then have changed into a dragon. This adds a special note to the already very inspiring story of the koi fish.
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Why Get a Koi Fish Tattoo These Days?
Now we all know the meaning of koi fish tattoos. The legend of the koi has now become a symbol for people who have gone through difficult times. Those who have overcome obstacles can use the koi as a symbol of luck or courage that has kept them going. These stories represent those who have battled adversity by battling cancer or getting sober, for example. These people can use the koi fish as a personal symbol of their victory.
People who have gone through difficult times but have managed to stabilize their lives can use the koi fish tattoo to symbolize their victory. All of these stories are linked by the idea that these people fought under difficult circumstances or against other people to get to where they are today, just like the koi fish of legend.
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What Does the Symbol of Yin and Yang Formed of Koi Fish Symbolize?
Nature shows us its beauty through many elements: animals, plants, trees. But one of the most remarkable is undoubtedly the fish, which comes in magical colors that seem to be taken from films. Koi carp are one of the most popular species, they have meanings in many cultures and are the protagonists of some legends. In China especially, they are associated with many things but they have become a global tattoo theme. They are placed on all possible parts of the body but it all depends on the preferences of each and what this subject represents for the person.
The first meaning of these koi fish tattoos comes from Feng-shui, where they stand for abundance and prosperity. Also, for those who believe in these things, the Yin and Yang symbol is proof of balance. It is said of these two elements mixed together that they will bring you whatever you desire. Between the drawing that will be made and the colors that complement each other, we can achieve a magnificent rendering, with curved lines and many tones to exploit. Let your creativity run wild during the entire development process, which can take up to three sessions.
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Another reference that can give great meaning to koi fish tattoos is based on a very popular legend which says that a school released a lot of fish into the Yellow River of China but only one of them managed to make it up. running to a waterfall where there was a demon: the koi. His great reward for doing so would have been to be changed into a dragon. This is why, on the tattoos, we can see dragon scales, fire and everything that can be used as an extra element to make the design stand out better, whatever its size.