Tattoo Symbols and Meanings: A Quick Reference Table
A quick A–Z table of tattoo symbols and meanings: animals, flowers, celestial symbols, sacred geometry and small signs, with notes on where they come from.
Short answer: This page is a lookup table. Find a symbol, read its usual meaning and where it comes from. Meanings below are common readings, not fixed rules, and many of them differ between cultures.
For how culture, placement and style change a tattoo’s meaning, read tattoo meanings.
Animals
| Symbol | Usual meaning | Often seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Bee | Hard work, community | Fine line, small tattoos |
| Bear | Strength, protecting family | Realism, Native-inspired art |
| Crow / raven | Wisdom, death, messages | Norse themes, gothic |
| Eagle | Freedom, power | American traditional |
| Fox | Cleverness | Neo-traditional |
| Hummingbird | Joy, lightness | Watercolor |
| Owl | Wisdom, the night | Black and grey |
| Spider | Patience, a creator or a trap | Gothic, traditional |
| Stag | Pride, renewal | Geometric |
| Tiger | Courage, protection | Japanese |
| Turtle | Long life, patience | Polynesian-inspired work |
Flowers and plants
| Symbol | Usual meaning | Often seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry blossom | How brief life is | Japanese |
| Chrysanthemum | Long life, honor | Japanese |
| Lavender | Calm | Fine line |
| Olive branch | Peace | Fine line |
| Peony | Wealth, good fortune | Japanese, neo-traditional |
| Poppy | Remembrance, sleep | Memorial tattoos |
| Sunflower | Loyalty, joy | Fine line, realism |
| Thistle | Scottish heritage, resilience | Black and grey |
See more in our feminine flower tattoos and flower tattoos for men galleries.
Celestial symbols
| Symbol | Usual meaning |
|---|---|
| Crescent moon | Change, new beginnings |
| Full moon | Completion |
| Moon phases | Life’s cycles |
| Star | Guidance, hope |
| Nautical star | Finding your way home |
| Sun | Life, energy |
| Sun and moon together | Balance |
Spiritual and sacred symbols
| Symbol | Usual meaning | From |
|---|---|---|
| Ankh | Life | Ancient Egypt |
| Celtic knot | Things without beginning or end | Celtic art |
| Eye of Horus | Protection, healing | Ancient Egypt |
| Hamsa | Protection | Middle East and North Africa |
| Mandala | Wholeness | Hindu and Buddhist art |
| Om | Sacred sound | Hinduism, Buddhism |
| Unalome | The path to enlightenment | Buddhist tradition |
| Vegvisir | Finding your way | Icelandic magical tradition |
| Yin and yang | Balance of opposites | Chinese philosophy |
Sacred symbols may matter a lot to the people who use them. In some places, certain placements of a sacred image, such as on the feet, can offend. Learn the context first.
Small signs
| Symbol | Usual meaning |
|---|---|
| Semicolon | Choosing to carry on; linked with mental health awareness |
| Arrow | Direction, moving forward |
| Infinity | Without end |
| Key | Opening up, access to something |
| Paper plane | Freedom, travel |
| Wave | Going with change, love of the sea |
| Triangle | Change, or three linked ideas |
Most of these suit a small tattoo. See small tattoos for women, small tattoos for men and behind the ear tattoos.
Before you ink a symbol
- Search the symbol in the country where you live. A harmless shape in one place can be linked to a group in another.
- Check any writing with a native speaker.
- Ask your artist how small it can go. Fine details close together may blur with age.
When you know which symbol you want, describe it in the AI tattoo generator to see it in different styles, then take your favorite to an artist.