Idiot. If someone told you it meant something else, they were pranking you.

What a Japanese person actually thinks
Everyone reads it instantly, including most non-Japanese people. There is no charitable interpretation available. Classic prank-tattoo territory.

Meaning

Literally: horse + deer
Actually: Idiot, fool. The single most-known Japanese insult worldwide.

Scores

Naturalness●●●●●

Correct Japanese for a word you do not want on you.

Coolness●●●●●

The horse-and-deer etymology is a genuinely good story. It does not save this.

Watch out

highIn Kansai, 馬鹿 lands harder than アホ and can be a real insult rather than a joke.

On skin

馬鹿

Orientation: either

N/A.