Paired tattoos of the "life" kanji (命)


I was looking into the definition of 命 on
[jisho](https://jisho.org/search/%E5%91%BD), and I got really curious about
one of the entries.

Other than the usual ones (that I mostly knew about), I found entry number 4
to be quite interesting:

>   4. paired tattoos of the "life" kanji on the upper arms of a man and woman
> (indicating unwavering love)​ Archaism
>

I tried googling around, but I couldn't find any reference to this. Does
anyone know what the entry is referring about, or where can I find more on the
subject?




I suspect that the Jisho.org entry is reflecting sense ③ in the _Nihon Kokugo
Daijiten_ (NKD) entry visible [here at
Kotobank](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%91%BD-435448). Specifically:

> ③ (生【い】きるよりどころの意味【いみ】から特殊化【とくしゅか】して)
> 一生【いっしょう】をそれに捧【ささ】げてもよい誠意【せいい】を示【しめ】す証拠立【しょうこだ】ての文字【もじ】、また、転【てん】じてその語【ご】。多【おお】く遊里【ゆうり】に行【おこ】なわれた習慣【しゅうかん】で、相愛【そうあい】の男女【だんじょ】が互【たが】いに二【に】の腕【うで】へ「命【いのち】」の一字【いちじ】、または「誰々【だれだれ】命【いのち】」と[入]{い}れ墨【ずみ】して、二世【にせ】も三世【さんぜ】もと誓【ちか】った。  
>  (3) (specialized from the meaning of one's reason for living) character
> serving as proof showing that one is in earnest in giving up one's life for
> something, or, by extension, such a word. Common custom in the red-light
> districts [of the Edo period], when a man and woman in love with each other
> would have the [命]{inochi} ["life"] kanji tattooed on their upper arms, or
> "[NAME] [命]{inochi}" ["NAME life"], and pledge even to their second or third
> incarnations.

The Daijisen entry [on that same
page](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%91%BD-435448#E3.83.87.E3.82.B8.E3.82.BF.E3.83.AB.E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.B3.89)
says much the same thing as the NKD, as does my local copy of Daijirin.

The quote given in the NKD dictionary entry as cited evidence of this usage is
dated to 1678. That, plus the mention of the 遊里【ゆうり】 or Edo-period red-light
district, leads me to believe that this is probably an historical custom that
is no longer in common practice (if at all).




I suspect that the Jisho.org entry is reflecting sense ③ in the _Nihon Kokugo
Daijiten_ (NKD) entry visible [here at
Kotobank](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%91%BD-435448). Specifically:

> ③ (生【い】きるよりどころの意味【いみ】から特殊化【とくしゅか】して)
> 一生【いっしょう】をそれに捧【ささ】げてもよい誠意【せいい】を示【しめ】す証拠立【しょうこだ】ての文字【もじ】、また、転【てん】じてその語【ご】。多【おお】く遊里【ゆうり】に行【おこ】なわれた習慣【しゅうかん】で、相愛【そうあい】の男女【だんじょ】が互【たが】いに二【に】の腕【うで】へ「命【いのち】」の一字【いちじ】、または「誰々【だれだれ】命【いのち】」と[入]{い}れ墨【ずみ】して、二世【にせ】も三世【さんぜ】もと誓【ちか】った。  
>  (3) (specialized from the meaning of one's reason for living) character
> serving as proof showing that one is in earnest in giving up one's life for
> something, or, by extension, such a word. Common custom in the red-light
> districts [of the Edo period], when a man and woman in love with each other
> would have the [命]{inochi} ["life"] kanji tattooed on their upper arms, or
> "[NAME] [命]{inochi}" ["NAME life"], and pledge even to their second or third
> incarnations.

The Daijisen entry [on that same
page](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%91%BD-435448#E3.83.87.E3.82.B8.E3.82.BF.E3.83.AB.E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.B3.89)
says much the same thing as the NKD, as does my local copy of Daijirin.

The quote given in the NKD dictionary entry as cited evidence of this usage is
dated to 1678. That, plus the mention of the 遊里【ゆうり】 or Edo-period red-light
district, leads me to believe that this is probably an historical custom that
is no longer in common practice (if at all).

