japanese tattoo: haha or okaasan?

[ichig0babe]

Hii^^
I want a tattoo on my wrist in japanese characters saying: mom, but I dont know if it should be Haha or Okaasan, talking about my own mother.
I want this tattoo because I dont see her that often, so she is always with me on my wrist.. just as a sign of love for her =)
I googled it and I cant find a good explaination, I rly hope someone can help me here!

So: お母さん (okaasan) or 母 (haha) on my wrist?

[MMM]

My opinions about getting words written in a language you don't understand tattooed into your skin are clearly documented on this site, but at least you got the Japanese text on there. Best of luck.

[ichig0babe]

but wich one would you choose looking at my discription of the way I want the word "mom" tattooed?

[m4x30000]

When you talk to someone outside of your family about your mother, you say "Haha"
When you talk to someone inside your family about your mother, you say "Okaasan"

EDIT: Make yourself a favor and don't pick any, the second you bumped into the fact you didn't knew which one of these you should get pretty much is where you should've decided not to get it tattooed.

[KyleGoetz]

Don't get a tattoo in a language you do not speak.

[ichig0babe]

I rly want the tattoo because my mom is sick, and I want it in japanese because I love everything about japan. I dont want everyone to know what it means on first sight, but just my family and close friends, so I guess I'll go for okaasan..

I dont want to have a tattoo saying just "mom" in english because that just doesnt look as nice as japanese characters and most ppl think: Omg that is lame, why would you go for a tattoo saying "mom". And when ppl see it they'll ask what it means, and I like that because I can explain why I did it and why in japanese.

Thanks for the answer m4x30000, that is useful info.. And I dont need ppl telling me to not get it in japanese because I dont know the language, I am going to learn japanese asap so.. and I know some japanese already, just wasn't sure of this word.. please tell me something about what m4x30000 said^^

[MMM]

Originally Posted by ichig0babe

I rly want the tattoo because my mom is sick, and I want it in japanese because I love everything about japan. I dont want everyone to know what it means on first sight, but just my family and close friends, so I guess I'll go for okaasan..

I dont want to have a tattoo saying just "mom" because that doesnt look nice. japanese just looks rly good and when ppl see it they'll ask what it means and I like that^^

thanks for the answers =D

Does it matter if it looks silly to a native Japanese speaker?

[PockyMePink]

I suggest to be more creative if you don't like the word "mom" and don't speak Japanese. Unless your mom is Japanese or is interested in Japan, it wouldn't be a representation of her at all.

Find something that symbolizes your mom. Her favorite colors, favorite items, something that you recall from her when you were really young, etc. Those will be more appropriate tattoes than a language that you don't understand and your mom doesn't have any idea about.

[cranks]

お母さん is mom. 母 is mother. 母 looks less bad to me. Sorry to hear your mom is sick.

But don't go for either unless you plan to never meet Japanese or Chinese people. 母 tattoo would look a lot worse to Japanese and Chinese people than mom tattoo would to English speakers.

[ichig0babe]

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

I suggest to be more creative if you don't like the word "mom" and don't speak Japanese. Unless your mom is Japanese or is interested in Japan, it wouldn't be a representation of her at all.

Find something that symbolizes your mom. Her favorite colors, favorite items, something that you recall from her when you were really young, etc. Those will be more appropriate tattoes than a language that you don't understand and your mom doesn't have any idea about.

yeah but I want to combine two things I rly love: my mom and japan.. it doesn't have to symbolize her.. did I make it sound like it had?