Fox Tattoo Meaning
- Transformation
- Shapeshifting
- Intelligence
- Wisdom
- Health
- Vitality
- Skillful
- Sexuality
- Cunning
- Femininity
- Prosperity
- Adaptability
- Survival
What do you know about fox tattoo meaning? What comes to mind first? Cunning, wisdom, sex, temptation? Meanings of the fox tattoo design may be controversial. Each culture has its own associations. Let’s look closely at some of them.
First of all, the fox is a shape-shifter. Like many animals in their habitat, it adapts perfectly to any circumstances to escape any harm. As for the meaning associated with this feature, it’ll be intelligence, adaptability, strategy and rationality.
Fox tattoo may also symbolize sexuality — like the word “foxy” itself indicates alluring beauty. Really, in Chinese culture fox testicles, tails, teeth and claws were believed to contain aphrodisiacs. Nowadays you shouldn’t buy these talismans, you just need to... ink a fox tattoo!
As for European culture, fox has always been a symbol of tricking, cunning and wiliness. This creature is able to turn any situation to its advantage. In Greeks the Teumessian Fox believed never to be caught — due to its outstanding cleverness. And the other interesting trait when it comes to fox tattoo is its color. Red fox is a symbol of sexual powers — maybe because of the associations with red color as primal energy. In some cultures the fox is also a solar symbol, thus revealing such meanings as life, vitality, birth, health and prosperity. And of course we should consider some of the most popular fox tattoo designs and their meaning.
Because of the variety of the fox roles in different cultures, meanings of the tribal fox tattoo design also vary significantly. For most cultures, this tattoo is a symbol of wisdom, trickery, cleverness and magic. Fox animal totems believed to give their spiritual powers to the tribe and certain people. Like all the tribal tattoo design, fox tattoo are deeply connected to the particular culture and main features of the animal.
The most popular fox in the world is the red one. There are a plenty of legends and tails about red foxes. Moreover, red foxes are the most valuable for fashion industry. All this makes the red fox tattoo combine features of a trickster, a fashionista, a sexy vixen and a spiritual leader in one pattern. This tattoo is the most feminine, representing sexuality, passion and temptation. At the same time, running fox or the inclusion of other patterns that symbolize sunrise/sunset makes this tattoo a spiritual guide.
Maybe the most notable part of fox’s body is its tail. Legend of the nine-tailed fox emerged in India and then was spread to Japan, transforming into legend about Japanese goddess of fertility and prosperity, Inari. In Japan, Korea and China foxes are believed to be Inari’s messengers, masters of transformations that can possess human soul. When those foxes, Kitsune, become older they also become more powerful, wiser and grow additional tails — up to nine. At the final stage, when Kitsune have nine tails, its fur changes color to silver, white, or gold, and it gain infinite wisdom. Nine-tail fox tattoo designs pay homage to this legend and symbolizes great wisdom and intelligence, deeply connected to the spiritual world.
