Tattoos that mean love: six symbols of love and connection

Which tattoo stands for love? Six symbols explained, from the Na Metta and the Hong birds to the lotus, plus strength and love in one design and tattoos for couples.

Love is one of the most popular themes for a tattoo. Often that means a heart, a name or a date. But if you want to wear love as something that goes deeper, you quickly end up with older symbols. In the Sak Yant tradition there are several designs about love: not as a love potion to win someone over, but as a quality you develop and radiate yourself.

In this article you will read which symbols stand for love, what exactly they mean, which ones combine strength and love, and where a tattoo with this meaning is best placed.

Love is more than romance

In Buddhism, love is a broad concept. The Pali word metta means loving kindness: a warm attitude towards others, whether that is your partner, a friend, a colleague or a stranger. Metta is one of the four sublime states of mind, together with karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) and upekkha (equanimity).

That also shapes how a yant for love works. It is not about winning over a specific person, but about who you are in your relationships. You wear a yant for love to embody the warmth, gentleness and openness that make real connection possible.

Six symbols of love

Na Metta

The Na Metta is the best-known Sak Yant for love. It is dedicated to metta and based on ancient Pali texts about loving kindness, such as the Metta Sutta. The yant stands for warmth, charisma and compassion, and for relationships that run more smoothly, both personal and professional. That makes it popular with people who work in professions where human contact is central.

The Hong birds

The Hong is a mythical bird from Thai tradition, related to the hamsa from India. It stands for beauty, grace and purity. Hong birds are often depicted in pairs and then symbolise a harmonious bond between lovers or kindred spirits. Here too: you do not wear it to win someone over, but to embody the elegance and gentleness that make connection possible.

Lotus with Hong

The lotus with Hong combines the Hong bird with the lotus, which grows out of the mud and still blooms pure. Together they say that real connection starts with a grounded, purified self and not with a sense of lack. It is a much-loved design for people working on personal healing and on their relationships at the same time. Read more about the lotus in lotus tattoo meaning.

The turtle

Less obvious, but in Thai tradition certainly a symbol of love: the turtle. According to Silas van Gemert's book, the turtle yant helps develop kindness, attentiveness, empathy and understanding, and is therefore a symbol of peace and of the love people share with one another. Read more in turtle tattoo meaning.

The fifth line of the Hah Taew

The Hah Taew consists of five lines of sacred script, each with its own effect. The fifth line increases your charisma and attraction, and strengthens the positive energy of the fourth line, which is about luck and prosperity. That is why people looking for protection and love in one design often end up with the Hah Taew.

The lotus

Even without the Hong, the lotus stands for a form of love: love for yourself, the ability to grow out of difficult circumstances and still stay gentle. For many people, that is where all other love begins.

Strength and love in one design

Many people are looking for a tattoo that expresses strength and love together. Within Sak Yant there are two ways to do that. The first is a yant that already carries both, such as the Hah Taew with its lines for protection and charisma. The second is a combination: a powerful yant such as the Suea Koo or Hanuman on the back, and a Na Metta close to the heart. That way you carry the strength to stay standing and the gentleness to stay connected. Read which designs go well together in which Sak Yant suits me.

A love tattoo for two

Couples who want a Sak Yant together often choose the Hong birds. The design can be applied mirrored on both partners, so the two birds form a pair together. One tip we always give: choose the yant for yourself as well. A yant is personal and lasts a lifetime. It is lovely if it connects you, and important that it also means something to you apart from the relationship.

Where to place a tattoo that means love

The Na Metta is traditionally placed close to the heart, on the chest or the ribs, to strengthen the connection with the heart centre. The Hong birds and the lotus with Hong look good on the shoulder blade, the upper back or the side of the ribs, spots that carry a flowing composition beautifully. As with every yant: always above the waist. More about placement and meaning.

What a yant for love does not do

A Sak Yant is not a love spell. It does not make anyone fall in love with you and it does not hold a relationship together. What it does do, according to the tradition, is help the wearer be warmer, more open and kinder. That also comes with the life rules, which ask you to treat others honestly and respectfully. In the end, that is also the best foundation for love.

Frequently asked questions about tattoos that mean love (FAQ)