The semicolon has become much more than just another punctuation mark. Sure, it has always been one of the more interesting punctuation marks, but it’s now seen as one of the better small tattoos thanks to its powerful meanings. If you’re interested in getting a semicolon tattoo, keep reading to find out what some of those meanings are and if this is really the right tattoo for you.
The semicolon is the most contested and confusing of all grammatical components. There are many ways that it can be utilized that can change the structure and meaning of a phrase and various parts of speech that it can manipulate. This confusion alone makes it interesting enough for some people to get it tattooed on their bodies. Of course, the semicolon tattoo meanings that most people use are just a bit more significant than that.
Artistically, the semicolon has become a symbol of pause but also an expectation for more to come. This is a fantastic semicolon meaning because it defines the semicolon itself while also describing what many people go through in their lives. It’s extremely common for people to come to a crossroads in their lives and they need to make important decisions before following a new path. This can be seen as both a pessimistic and optimistic tattoo meaning depending on the person and the situation they’re going through.
A semicolon is an interjection and a symbol of the present and a lead into the future. In this way, the semicolon can represent someone remembering a specific time in their lives while also recognizing what they have to do to make the future better for themselves. While the semicolon tattoo is usually seen as an extremely personal tattoo, this is one of the few meanings that most people would love to share with people who ask them about the tattoo.
The semicolon tattoo movement was started in 2013 by the daughter of a suicide victim and has become a well-known symbol of hope for life and love. The object of tattoos, which are most often placed in a very visible location on the body, is to promote mental health instead of keeping mental issues hidden. The semicolon has become a point of pride for survivors who seek to highlight their strength and determination rather than allow these people to be shamed within society.
The semicolon has been taken by advocates for positive mental health and mental health awareness and transformed into a symbol of life, love, and persistence. Many people who use this semicolon tattoo meaning are proud to wear their semicolon in a very public area of their bodies to show their pride for this movement. While the subject matter may put some people off, it’s important to recognize that this meaning is an extremely positive one, which is why it became so popular.
The semicolon is often used as a mark of hope by those who struggle with depression and have considered suicide. The semicolon’s grammatical use is utilized metaphorically as a sign of choosing life and the future and all the possibilities that come with it. While this is a very personal meaning and one that the owner might not want to talk to everyone about, they could still put it in a place where they can see it regularly simply to remind themselves to stay strong.
The graphic represents an author’s choice to continue rather than end which translates well as a symbol of suicide survivors. The semicolon in this way is a continuation of life when it could have been ended and therefore stands as a bold representation of life, strength, and survival. People who have either considered suicide or attempted it often get the semicolon tattoo as a constant reminder that they have other options besides taking their own lives when things get really tough.
Semicolons are designed in a variety of ways to help individualize the symbol and create an even more personal image to help share the story of their mental health. The classic design is a bold and black comma with a period hovering above it, acting as a separation between the first clause of a sentence and the remaining part of the phrase. Even though there is less detail in this simple design, it’s still the preferred way to get the semicolon tattoo because there is so much meaning in those two symbols. Plus, it makes it a quick tattoo to make and can be placed virtually anywhere on the body.
Unlike most other tattoo designs, the semicolon tattoo is not one that most people want to make too flashy. The meaning doesn’t change regardless of how you get it designed, so it makes sense that most people still with the period on top of the comma. Of course, some people will want to add a bit more to the design simply because they have more meanings that they want to include.
In other semicolon tattoo designs, the period is rendered as a heart, star, or any other minute shape that speaks to the individual such as an animal face like a cat or the addition of wings. Hearts are also introduced into the entire design, with the semicolon used to complete the shape. Those new symbols can add additional meanings, but they don’t necessarily have to be as significant as the semicolon itself. For example, the hearts could represent the love that someone feels for the people who support them.
Another reason why someone might get a few more symbols around or on their semicolon tattoo is because they don’t want it to look too “dark” to outside observers. Many people know that the semicolon can represent a person who has had dark thoughts in the past, so the owners of these tattoos could choose to liven the design up a bit to make the meaning a bit clearer. While the semicolon tattoo meaning is generally a positive one, some people might not know that.
The semicolon is often incorporated into the image of animals or other images that serve as a representation of hope and life such as the body of a colorful butterfly or the center and stem of a beautiful flower. This is yet another way to make the positive message of the semicolon tattoo come through a bit more.
Other uplifting imagery is sometimes added as well like sunrises, flowers, or mandalas. Inspiring phrases and quotes are included to create larger pieces, often “My story isn’t over yet”, which incorporates the literary origin of the symbol. The semicolon can also be used as an “I” in word tattoos like “life” or “live”. If you do decide to add in additional images or text, it’s important that you think about how those designs will affect the semicolon tattoo meanings that you decide to use.
The truth is that you can mix in just about any image that you want to with the semicolon, but you should think about which meaning you want to stand out the most. If the semicolon meaning is just one of many that are significant in your life, then it’s okay to have it blend in a bit more. However, if the semicolon tattoo meaning is the main one, then the other designs that you get should either enhance the semicolon or at least not detract from the semicolon tattoo meaning.
The semicolon can be rendered in any color or pattern that suits the style of the individual and is often designed brightly to emphasize positivity after trying times. One way that people can do this is by making the period a bit darker than the comma, representing a “soft pause” before the future comes into play. Of course, even the all-black semicolon tattoo can have a positive meaning, but that might not come through as clearly to people who don’t know all of the positive meanings associated with the design.
The placement of the semicolon tattoo can also be significant to some people. Some will want to put it in a place that is always visible to them, while others will want the tat to be a bit more private. Since that movement back in 2013, a higher percentage of people have decided to show off their semicolon tattoos for solidarity purposes.
You can get your semicolon tattoo absolutely anywhere that you want it, but the most common locations for this tattoo are on the wrist and fingers. In fact, this might be in the top 10 for tattoos that people get on their fingers. Unlike most other finger tattoos, the semicolon tattoo is usually placed on the inside of the finger rather than on top.
The semicolon tattoo has some very deep meanings that many people find comfort in. This is not one of those tattoos that you should get simply because it looks cool since that would be pretty offensive to those who find deep meaning in the design. If any of the semicolon tattoo meanings listed on this page hold any significance to you, you can be sure that you will have a lot of pride in this tattoo for the rest of your life.