Japanese Tattoo Terms

Irezumi (入れ墨, 入墨, 文身 (also pronounced bunshin), 剳青, 黥 or 刺青): tattoo (noun or verb)
Horimono (彫り物, 彫物, literally carving, engraving): tattoo. This is another word for traditional Japanese tattoos.
Horishi (彫り師, 彫物師): a tattoo artist.
Bokukei, bokkei (墨刑): punishment by tattooing.
Tebori (手彫り, literally to carve by hand): describes the technique of tattooing by hand.
Hanebori (羽彫り, literally to carve with a feather): a hand-tattooing technique employing a feathering motion.
Tsuki-bori (突き彫り): a hand-tattooing technique employing a thrusting motion.
Kakushibori (隠し彫り, literally hidden carving): tattooing near the armpits, the inside of the thighs and other “hidden” body areas. Also refers to the tattooing of hidden words, for example among the petals of flowers.
Kebori (毛彫り): the tattooing of fine lines or of hair on tattooed figures.
Sujibori (筋彫り): outlining, the outline of a tattoo.
Shakki: the sound needles make when they puncture the skin.
Irebokuro (入れ黒子): from ire or ireru, which means to insert, and bokuro or hokuro, a beauty spot
Yobori: “Yo” (European) tattooing. The Japanese-English slang term for tattooing done with the machine.
Sumi (墨): The ink used to tattoo, traditionally mixed by the apprentice
Hikae: Chest panel tattoo
Nagasode (長袖): Arm tattoo, to the wrist
Shichibu (七分): Tattoo 7/10ths of the sleeve to the forearm
Gobu (五分): Tattoo 5/10ths of the sleeve to above the elbow