130 Dragon Tattoos: Best Design and Meaning

The word Dragon comes from the Greek word literally meaning "great serpent" and "one who sees clearly," just like the Latin word dragon (great serpent). The creature exists in many cultures around the world, from the mythologies of Europe and the Middle East to Asian narratives.

In European culture, dragons were considered evil creatures to be defeated by noble knights. There are many stories of legends of dragon hunters and snake slayers such as Beowulf, the archangel Saint Michael and Tristan. The dragon appears in Jewish and Christian cultures in the form of a snake, and killing a dragon is often interpreted as defeating Satan.

Dragons are inextricably linked to Asian culture. The meaning of each image varies depending on the elements that are included in the design. The dragon is an aquatic animal that usually symbolizes the subconscious and mediation. It is also a symbol of masculinity, strength and power, and it represents the basic forces of nature and the universe.

The meaning of the dragon tattoo

Dragon tattoos represent a large number of qualities and characteristics:

• Wisdom
• Longevity, life expectancy
• Strength and might
• Calmness, mediation and subconsciousness
• Spirituality
• Creation and destruction. Dragons created life with fire and destroyed it with ice, poison, or fire.
• The lord of the natural elements - fire, water, air (flies) and earth (lives in caves).
• Masculinity
• Prosperity
• Sexual desire and passion

Dragon tattoo options

1. Gothic dragon

Gothic dragon tattoos symbolize the power, strength and primary instincts of the human species.

2. Ouroboros

Ouroboros is an ancient symbol that first appeared in an ancient Egyptian funerary text found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. It is also known as the "dragon circle tattoo" and represents a cycle of life that sometimes destroys itself by renewing itself. People who wear this design usually identify with the cycle of birth and death and may have suffered a tragic loss at some point in their lives.

→ See also: 70 Ouroboros Symbol Tattoos

3. Sleeping dragon

The sleeping dragon personifies the strength and power that slumber within us and are ready to wake up when the time comes.

4. Asian dragon

The dragon is one of the most revered creatures (mythical or real) in Asian culture. These patterns often symbolize wisdom, strength, power, longevity, prosperity, and good fortune. Asian dragons are like snakes wading through life and lack the bat wings often seen in European dragons. In Japanese culture and the culture of other eastern regions, dragons are aquatic creatures and are considered good omens.

5. Dragon-Levant

The image of a dragon emerging from the sun is a symbol of ascent and progress. This tattoo is often worn by those who have overcome adversity and feel like their lives are moving forward.

6. Dragon Yin and Yang

In Chinese culture, the dragon represents Yang and the phoenix represents Yin.

Yang symbolizes masculine, passionate and indomitable forces such as the sun (white half), while Yin is the quieter and more rational part that corresponds to the moon (black half).

7. Dragon and snake

Many images of dragons and snakes show them as deadly enemies, although they are inextricably linked at the level of mythology and origin. However, there are several differences between them: snakes are associated with healing and the god of medicine Asclepius, while dragons are led by the primary forces of nature and natural elements. In a sense, dragon and snake tattoos represent a conflict. between science and superstition, modernity and tradition.

8. Tiger and dragon

In Chinese culture, the tiger and dragon are mortal enemies, often depicted in battle. And although both are elements of nature, passion, strength and power, they have different ways of interacting with the primary forces. The dragon is a wise creature that focuses on understanding the foundations of the world, while the tiger is based on brute strength.

9. Dragon Fairy

The dragon is a symbol of nature: it lives in dark caves (land) or lakes (water) and breathes fire. Dragons tend to be masculine and powerful, while fairies are gentle, feminine, and strong. Fairy dragon tattoos represent the conflicting and complementary forces of male and female elements in nature.

10. Dragon butterfly

The dragon personifies masculine strength and strength, and the butterfly symbolizes feminine beauty and innocence; it is a symbol of the weaker sex. Wearing this tattoo design means the wearer identifies with how the two forces balance and complement each other.

11. Dragon claw

The dragon's claw symbolizes the destruction and conquest of the evil one. It is a sign of the strength and fearlessness of people who see themselves as strong, dominant and unshakable in the face of adversity.

12. Dragon koi

The elements of this tattoo are strongly associated with the East and, in particular, with Japan. Koi carps are courageous, strong and capable of handling the most dangerous situations without the slightest sign of fear. According to Chinese culture, if a koi carp manages to swim upstream and upstream of the impressive Dragon's Gate waterfall (on the Yellow River), it transforms into a dragon. Koi dragon tattoos represent ambition and progress made through hard work, as koi carps become creatures of power once they have taken up a challenge.

13. Dragon and moon

The moon is closely related to water, both in legends and in reality (because it is the moon that influences the ebb and flow of the oceans). It represents the ebb and flow of life, and dragons symbolize the basic forces of nature. Since both are symbols of water, the dragon and moon tattoos represent the relationship between nature and the subconscious (water is associated with meditation and deep thoughts).

14. Fire-breathing dragon

Fire is a symbol of creation (the phoenix rises from the ashes) and destruction, and in many legends dragons have the ability to do both. In these tattoos, they represent passion, sexual desire and strength. However, in Asian culture, the dragon is an aquatic creature. This is why a tattoo combining the two can also represent a balance between gross emotions and peace of mind.

15. Dragon flower

Snapdragon, also called dragon or dragon flower in some languages ​​such as Spanish or English, is a delicate plant with a mysterious origin. Some artists present these tattoos simply by drawing the flower itself or by creating a combination of a dragon and any flower. Dragon flower tattoos usually mean grace and disappointment, illusion. Of course, the look and color of the flower changes the overall meaning of the tattoo.