If you don't already want to slap people who get tattoos of Chinese symbols for words such as Happy or Strength or Wisdumb, etc, etc, etc, you should.
Let's start with what a symbol is, namely: (you obviously have Internet if you're reading this, go to dictionary.com yourself, no need to cut/paste what you can pull up yourself)
Now, the letters A, P, P, Y, H. Pretty boring when left to their own devices, but rearranged into “Happy†they take a meaning, or symbolism if you will. There is no real tangible version of Happy, it's an emotion or feeling, so if you like the idea or thought of “Happiness†so much, why not just get “Happy†tattooed on your arm?? Getting it in Chinese doesn't make it any more of a “symbolâ€, if you go to China and they see your dumbass tattoo there it'll be the same as if you got the word Happy tattooed on your arm in America; stupid.
I wonder how many people actually research their tattoo and make sure it actually means what they think it means, what if the tattoo artist gets one slash wrong, and changes the word to ****-face or something?
If I ever saw a person with “Happiness†tattooed on their arm, I'd have to shake that persons hand.