Guten Tag! Welcome to another edition of German untranslatable words, dedicated to teaching you quirky German words, their meanings, and how to use them!

Today the word is das Arschgeweih.

What does Arschgeweih literally translate to?

This German compound noun is made up of the words der Arsch (butt/ass/arse) + das Geweih (antlers). Its literal translation, therefore, is ‘arse antlers’.

What does Arschgeweih mean?

Although an Arschgeweih sounds a bit like it’s describing a deformed deer, it is in fact referring to the tattoos that sit just above the bum, on the lower back. I’m not sure if you’ve ever noticed, but tattoos in this area often do look like antlers…

That’s the beauty of these German words – they make you see things in a different light! 😉

How would you use Arschgeweih in a sentence?

Wie kriegen wir das Arschgeweih wieder weg?

How can we remove an Arschgeweih?

In German, Arschgeweih is a common term for antler-like tattoos on the lower back, but it does carry negative connotations. You’re unlikely to go into a tattoo parlour and actually ask for an ‘Arschgeweih’, for example!

What is the nearest English equivalent to Arschgeweih?

What the Germans call butt antlers, the English call a tramp stamp. But the German language has an alternative word to Arschgeweih, which is closer in meaning to the English tramp stamp:

Der Schlampenstempel – made up of the words die Schlampe (tramp – in this context, referring to a promiscuous woman) + der Stempel (stamp/imprint).

Related tattoo vocabulary:

to tattoo (verb) – tätowieren

Tattoo (noun) – die Tätowierung, or simply das Tattoo, the same as in English

Tattoo artist – der Tätowierer

Tattoo studio – das Tattoostudio

Skin – die Haut

Ink – die Tinte

Needle – die Nadel

Tattoo pattern/photo – die Tattoovorlage

Body modification – die Körpermodifikation