Muay Thai Tattoo symbols and meanings



Muay Thai tattoo symbols called Sak Yant, are protective emblems with a deep meaning rooted in ancient traditions of Buddhist and Hindu religions. They grant the bearer desirable attributes such as power, strength, fearlessness, protection, charisma, health, sexual attractiveness, fortune, and confidence.

Yantra tattooing traditions are at least 2000 years old among south-east Asian cultures.
Sak Yant tattoos are deeply rooted in Thai culture and are very popular among Muay Thai fighters. I want to share with you the most popular yantra tattoo patterns and their attributes and meanings.


Muay Thai tattoo patterns and meanings:


Tiger Yant: Twin Tigers tattoo



The tiger is a symbol of strength, power, and fearlessness. Twin tigers stand for the highest level of power. This is a suitable ink for a person with authority over the others.

It is one of the most popular Muay Thai tattoo designs for fighters who would wish to emulate the strength and the power of a tiger in the ring. It is also the most popular tattoo design among Muay Farangs who came to train Muay Thai in Thailand.



Five Lines tattoo



Five magical spells that protect the bearer against:

  • evil spirits
  • bad fortune
  • black magic
and also grant:
  • a good fortune
  • a sexual attractiveness
So like you see it is a very powerful tattoo to have even when you don't train Muay Thai.



Eight Directions tattoo


This tattoo represents the 8 poses of Buddha.

It protects from hazards and grants a good luck from all directions. The circle represents one's life with all the distractions that one has to encounter. The straight lines up represent the paths to enlightenment.



Nine Peaks tattoo



It represents 9 Buddhas that grants 12 distinctive special powers and blessings:

  • the first one increases your popularity
  • the second one protects from injury
  • the third one helps to defeat the enemy
  • the fourth one gives power and authority over the other people
  • the fifth one grants the loyalty of the others and desire to fight for you
  • the sixth one grants the invincibility
  • the seventh one grants luck in new enterprises
  • the eighth one increases your popularity with the opposite sex
  • the ninth one brings a good fortune
  • the tenth one benefits your destiny
  • the eleventh one protects against violence
  • the twelfth one improves your circumstances at work



Hanuman, the Monkey God tattoo



Hanuman tattoo represents fighter's qualities like strength, stamina, and agility and it is also a symbol of devotion to martial arts in a case of Muay Thai fighter.

In Muay Boran, a martial art that evolved into modern Muay Thai, there's a traditional fighting technique called Hanuman. It utilizes 'monkey-like' movement and a powerful uppercut technique which involves using both hands to strike the opponents chin.




Ganesh: an elephant God tattoo



Ganesh is a God that can remove the obstacles of any nature and clear the way for those that pay homage to him. It is also the symbol of protection.

So like you see Muay Thai tattoos have a deeper meaning and are not only worn for decorative reasons. I hope I helped you to learn more about the art of Sak Yant tattoos and you can choose a symbol that resonates with your personality.




Read more about rich Thai culture and history:




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