What Does A Teardrop Tattoo On The Eye Mean?

What Does A Teardrop Tattoo On The Eye Mean
What does teardrop tattoo mean? A teardrop tattoo is a small tattoo in the shape of a teardrop near one or both eyes. It is closely associated with gang and prison culture, where it often indicates one has served time, one has been humiliated, or one has killed.

What does a teardrop tattoo mean?

A teardrop tattoo is a small tattoo in the shape of a teardrop near one or both eyes. It is closely associated with gang and prison culture, where it often indicates one has served time, one has been humiliated, or one has killed.

What does a teardrop under the right eye mean?

Symbolism – There are different variants of the tear drop tattoo as well as meanings so let’s have a look at some of them and decipher the purpose and reasoning for them. Clear Teardrop A tattoo design that includes a clear teardrop is typically associated with a person that has attempted to kill another person.

  1. This tattoo can also signify that a loved one has died, either naturally or as a result of violence;
  2. A clear teardrop can indicate that the wearer seeks vengeance;
  3. Left Side Teardrop Tattoo Initially, for both sides, the teardrop represented that the wearer was ‘owned’ by another inmate in prison;

Placed next to the eyes by their ‘owners,’ hiding it was difficult, and it told everyone else about the pain, tears, and humiliation they faced. Many of these prisoners dealt with rape, extortion, and physical abuse. The amount of care and protection available was almost non-existent.

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Outside of prison, these men told others that they received it for killing a man in prison, and eventually the meaning shifted. Over time, the left side teardrop’s meaning changed from being owned to having killed someone in jail.

The number of tears represents how many people the wearer ‘killed’. A teardrop tattoo on the left eye has become increasingly popular among gangs and the meaning has become much more fluid, differing between wearers. Right Side Teardrop Tattoo As time has passed, the teardrop under the right eye’s meaning has drifted from the original and perceived meaning of teardrop tattoos.

  1. These tears placed on the right side, symbolize a lost gang member or family member;
  2. Gangs are almost a second family or for some their only family, and so the death of one of its members equates to the death of a brother or sister;

When you see multiple tears on the right side of someone’s face, it more likely means they lost many people dear to them, rather than that they murdered many people. Women tend to tattoo a teardrop to show solidarity or loyalty to their spouse if they’re imprisoned.

Of course, husbands can do the same. Nowadays, the meaning greatly varies to the point where there is no way of knowing why somebody has the tattoo as some individuals adopt the look for unique reasons that are deeply personal.

Filled-In Teardrop A   teardrop tattoo on the face means that the person has committed murder. A teardrop outline represents attempted murder, but it could also mean that the person has a friend who was murdered and that they are now currently seeking vengeance.

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What does Lil Wayne’s teardrop tattoo mean?

Rapper Lil Wayne with teardrop tattoos below his eyes The teardrop tattoo or tear tattoo is a symbolic tattoo of a tear that is placed underneath the eye. The teardrop is one of the most widely recognised prison tattoos [1] and has various meanings. It can signify that the wearer has spent time in prison, [2] [3] or more specifically that the wearer was raped while incarcerated and tattooed by the rapist as a “property” mark and for humiliation, since facial tattoos cannot be concealed.

  1. [4] [5] [6] [7] The tattoo is sometimes worn by the female companions of prisoners in solidarity with their loved ones;
  2. [8] Amy Winehouse had a teardrop drawn on her face in eyeliner after her husband Blake entered the Pentonville prison hospital following a suspected drug overdose;

[9] It can acknowledge the loss of a friend or family member: North American rappers The Game and Lil Wayne have teardrop tattoos signifying the death of friends [10] and basketball player Amar’e Stoudemire has had a teardrop tattoo since 2012 honoring his older brother Hazell Jr.

, who died in a car accident. [11] In West Coast gang culture (USA), the tattoo may signify that the wearer has killed someone [12] [13] and in some of those circles, the tattoo’s meaning can change: an empty outline meaning either the wearer attempted murder or that a fellow gang member or friend died and when filled in, the wearer sought revenge.

[14] [15] Sometimes the exact meaning of the tattoo is known only by the wearer: [13] [16] Portuguese footballer Ricardo Quaresma has never explained his teardrop tattoos. [17].

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What does a tattoo under the eye mean in jail?

Tattoos In Prison Culture – In gangs such as the La Nuestra Familia, many tattoos are used to show the rank of an individual. For example, a rose under the eye can signify someone who is new to the gang and needs to prove themselves. Proving yourself in prison is usually done by murdering a rival or in some cases a prison guard.

Now, as you already know the teardrop is the most notorious of all the prison tattoos and can signify incarceration, murder, or loss. Some gang members also use this tattoo under the eye as a sign that they are established and senior members of their gang.

In prison, a teardrop will often mean that person should be feared or has standing among others. The simple star is another symbol that suggests veteran status among the Nuestra Familia gang members and others; depending on where it is positioned on the body it means different things.

Worn on the arm or on the body, symbolizes that person’s ‘kill count’ or their rank. A tattoo that means the same thing and is always placed on the face, is the cross under the left eye. This tattoo also means a high level of commitment to a gang.

A gang member with a cross under the eye could be suggesting several things. This can include having spent time in prison, committed a murder, or in some cases, a Christian cross under the eye can symbolize that the tattoo owner is a white supremacist.