For a crime drama role, an A-list actor was given Chinese character tattoos to look like a hardened criminal. One of them translated to the decidedly un-gangster "ice skating."
The Story
"I was supposed to look like a hardened criminal. My tattoo says I like winter sports."
When a famous pop star turned actor was cast as a drug dealer in a 2006 crime drama, the makeup department covered him in tattoos to make him look like an authentic street criminal.
Among the Chinese character tattoos they gave him was 溜冰 (liū bīng) – which means "ice skating." Not exactly the intimidating image they were going for.
The Linguistic Breakdown
The characters break down as:
- 溜 (liū) = To slide, to slip
- 冰 (bīng) = Ice
- 溜冰 = Ice skating (the recreational winter activity)
Interestingly, there's a twist: In Chinese drug slang, "溜冰" can also mean "smoking crystal meth" (冰 = ice, the drug). So while the makeup department probably didn't know this, the tattoo accidentally became somewhat appropriate for a drug dealer character – though certainly not intentionally.
The Other Tattoo
The same character also had 风土水火 (fēng tǔ shuǐ huǒ) – "Wind, Earth, Water, Fire." This one actually makes sense as the four elements, though the order is slightly unusual (typically it would be 金木水火土 for the Five Elements).
Why This Happens in Hollywood
- Rush production schedules – No time for proper research
- Assumption that "it looks cool" – Aesthetic over accuracy
- Lack of cultural consultants – Or ignoring their advice
- Random dictionary picks – Just grabbing characters that "look tough"
Key Takeaways
- Even professionals get it wrong – Movie studios with budgets of millions still make mistakes
- Always hire a native speaker consultant
- Slang meanings exist – Words can have underground meanings you're unaware of