Understanding passed heart to heart, without words. Zen origin, everyday use.

What a Japanese person actually thinks
Warm and respected. Works equally as a statement about a relationship and as a nod to Zen. One of the better four-character idioms for a tattoo about a bond.

Meaning

Literally: by heart + transmit + heart
Actually: Communicating without speaking — originally the Zen transmission of understanding from master to disciple outside of scripture, now used for any two people who don't need to explain themselves to each other.

Scores

Naturalness●●●●●

Common, well-known yojijukugo.

Coolness●●●●●

The doubled 心 at either end gives it a lovely symmetry, and the meaning is genuinely moving.

Watch out

Nothing embarrassing lurking in here.

On skin

以心伝心

Orientation: vertical

Mincho, vertical.