Prison Tattoo Abbreviations — common shortened inscriptions and their meanings

Note / Disclaimer: the list below is a translation and cultural glossary of abbreviations found in prison tattoos. Some entries contain harsh, offensive or politically charged language — they are given here only for reference and linguistic / cultural study. Interpretations vary by region and author; the “true” meaning is often known only to the bearer.

А

АА — Angel of Hell.
АГМД — “Adolf Hitler — my friend.”
АЛЕНКА — “And (I) should love her like an angel.”
АЛЛЮР — “I love anarchy with youthful love — joyfully.”
АМУР / ТНМН — “My angel left early — thus began my misfortunes.”
АРБАТ — “Russia existed, and now?”

Б

БАРС — “Beat the activists, cut the snitches.”
БЕРЛИН — “I will be jealous of her, love and hate her.”
БЕС — “Beat, if you can.”
БЖСР! — “Beat the Jews, save Russia?” (literal rendering of the wording).
БЛИЦС — “Protect love and value freedom.”
БОГ — multiple readings: “God will forgive sins”; “was convicted by the state”; “I’m afraid to stay hungry”; “I will rob again”; “be careful, robber”; “fear the fire, bastards.” (common multi-interpretation entry).
БОГИНЯ — “I will be proud of one woman and enjoy her.”
БОМЖИЗ — “Protected by God, living by prayer, and tormented.”
БОНС — “Was convicted by the people’s sultan” (idiomatic/regional variant).
БОСС — “Was convicted by the Soviet court; was convicted by the Soviet Union.”
БОТН — “From now on I will be yours forever.”

В

ВЕРМУТ — “Come back if separation torments you.”
ВИМБЛ — “Return and it will be easier for me.”
ВИНО — “Come back and stay forever.”
ВНТСЧ — “A thief does not trade his honor.”
ВОЛК — several possible senses: “There she is, what love is; the thief’s breath is gone — to the cops, the cover; the colonist loves freedom.” (multi-meaning).
ВОР — “leader of the October Revolution” (historical/ironic reading).
ВОРОН — “A thief — born of one hatred.”
ВОСК — “Freedom will weaken — the end is near; here it is, freedom, colonists.”
ВУЗ — “Eternal prisoner of the zone; I will die a happy convict.” (mnemonic/wordplay readings)

Г

ГОРН — “The state condemned (us) to be slaves forever.”
ГОТТ — “I am proud only of you; ready to give myself only to you.”
ГУСИ — “Where I see [her], I'll immediately rape.” (literal / violent wording).
ГУТОЛИСТ — “My lips are tired of speaking of love and deep longing.”

Д

ДЕРПН — “I tear, f***, cut the party hangers-on.” (vulgar/violent).
ДЖОН — “Only misfortunes await at home; souls of Jews, they are misfortune.” (literal wording).
ДЖОНКА — “Only misfortunes await at home — the whims of an alcoholic.”
ДИССИК — “Crush Jews, sex informers, bitches and communists.” (literal/hostile wording).
ДМНТП — “There is no one more beautiful to me than you.”
ДНО — “Give a little rest, let us catch our breath.” (figurative)

Е

ЕВА — “F*** the whole active group.” (vulgar)
ЕВРОПА — “If the thief works — he is a fallen inmate.”
ЕЛКА — “His/her caresses smell like perfume; if love is treacherous — disaster.”

Ж

ЖЕРН — “Life is slave bondage.”
ЖНПСМ — “I live on the dump, save me.”
ЖНССС — “Life will teach to laugh through tears.”
ЖОВМ — “One ass — you are many.” (forceful/abusive reading)
ЖУК — “I wish successful thefts; life was stolen by the communists.”
ЖУР! — “Live, thief, luxuriously!”

З

ЗВОНОК — “Know thieves — they will teach you sharply.”
ЗЕК — “There is a convoy here.”
ЗЛО — multiple readings: “The convict loves rest”; “I will avenge the cops.”
ЗЛОБ О — “For cops I will revenge painfully.”
ЗМЕЯ — “Why have a man — there is me.” (provocative)
ЗУД — “Here they teach to fight.”
ЗУБ! — “Hail, criminal brothers!”
ЗУБР — “Evil criminals guard slaves.”

И

ИГРА — “I go to smash, to cut activists.” (rare abbreviation).
ИРА — “I go to cut the active, I go to cut activists.”
ИРАК — “I go to cut active communists.”
ИРИС — “I am a slave and an informer” (usually forced mark).
ИРКА-ЕНТР — “Separation feels like hell, if you’re not near.”

К

КАТ — convict doing hard labor; convict.
КЕНТ — “When f***ing, you must endure.” (vulgar)
КИСБТ — “How my heart longed for you.”
КЛЕН — “I swear to love him/her forever.”
КЛИН — “When you love — punish betrayal.”
КЛИН-ОБОЗ — “How I love and hate — only one God knows about it.”
КЛОТ — “I swear to love only you; when you love — endure offenses.”
КОМС? — “Is it so painfully alone, do you hear?” (elliptical)
КОСУМ — “When again happiness smiles at me.”
КОТ — “Native inhabitant of prison; how hard it is alone; who will warm my longing.”
КРЕСТ — “How to stop loving, if the heart longs.”
КТЯБНН — “I will not find someone like you.”
КУБ? — “Who will die first?” (rhetorical)
КУБА — “When you leave — the pain is hell.”
КЯСОД? — “How I miss home? How I miss my children!”

Л

ЛБЖ — “I love more than life.”
ЛЕБЕДИ — “I will love her even if she betrays me.”
ЛЕБЕДУН — “I will love her even if she leaves forever.”
ЛЕВ — “I love her forever; I love f*** the cheerful; cops f*** cheerfully.” (various readings)
ЛЕДИ — “I love, even if she betrays.”
ЛЕС — “I love her strongly.”
ЛЕТО — “I love only one of her.”
ЛИМОН — “Loving and suffering from one is tired.”
ЛИР — “Love and separation, I love and cut.”
ЛИС — “Love and death.”
ЛИСТ — “I love and miss deeply.”
ЛИЯ — “Love and I.”
ЛОМ — “Love only me, my beloved, let me go.”
ЛОН — “I love the company of drug addicts.”
ЛОРА — “Love once gave birth to an angel; love passed by the slave-convict.”
ЛОРД — multiple stylized readings about revenge on cops, love given once, camp eagles pleasing friends, etc.
ЛОТ — “I love only you.”
ЛОТОС — “I love only you very much.”
ЛСД — “Love costs dearly.”
ЛСКЧВ — “Love freedom, like a seagull loves water.”
ЛТВ — various: “Love comrades, freedom; I only love freedom; I love you forever.”
ЛУЧ — “The beloved has gone.”
ЛЮБА — “Love of youth was angelic.”

М

МАГ — “My Adolf Hitler.”
МАГНИТ — “Darling, eyes tirelessly search for you.”
МД — “Darling, silly girl.” МЕЛ — “My only love.”
МЖДВА — “They have awaited me in hell for a long time.”
МИР — “Execution will correct me.” (grim / hyperbolic)
МНСЗС — “I am not ashamed of myself.”
МОЛЧУ — “My obsessed love (and) feelings have died.”
МОРС — “We part again happily.”
МТК-Н — “Cops are stupid bastards of the people.”
МТС — “Cops are stupid cattle.” (derogatory)

Н

НЕБО — “Do not (be sad) if you are alone.”
НЕБО-ЗЯВР — “Do not (be sad), know — I am always near.”
НИЛ — “Do not betray your beloved.”
НИНА — “Not (was) and will not be an activist.”
НИНС — “I will never be able to betray.”

О

ОМУТ — “One consolation of mine — you; it’s hard to leave me.”
ОПЛНЗ — “I fly above the earth like an eagle under the sky.”
ОРВЕА — “October Revolution — the greatest Jewish adventure.” (politically charged phrasing)
ОСА — “Leave death to the activists.”
ОСМН — “Stay with me forever.”
ОСТ — “Again I will be yours.”
ОСТРОВ — “Stay with (me), your joyful island inside (me); desperate passion burns in me.”

П

ПАПА — coarse: insults to activists, greeting to anarchists.
ПВА — “I despise your activists.”
ПВРС — “Let the slaves of Sovdepiya toil.”
ПЕС — “He disobeyed her badly.”
ПИВО — “Forgive and come back.”
ПИЛОТ — “I remember and love one person; remember, I love one person.”
ПИНГВИН — “Forgive and don’t be sad; no need to find the guilty.”
ПИПЛ — “The first and last love.”
ПОЙТИ — “Remember me — I hate you, Judas.”
ПОСТ — “Forgive, father, such is fate.”
ПРАВИЛА — “The government decided to arrest everyone and deny amnesty.”
РДМВСНН — “Born for torment — I do not need happiness.”
РИТМ — “My joy and my sorrow.”
РОКЗИСМ — “Russia is soaked in the blood of convicts and the tears of mothers.”
РОСТ — “Soon left an orphan of a tyrant, joy is to shoot tyrants.”

С

САПЕР — “A happy convict — after his execution.” (grim phrasing)
САТУРН — “Listen, you cannot be unloved anymore.”
СВАТ? — “Will freedom return, and you?”
СВЕТ — “Passion fades — if anxious.”
СГВ — “Northern Group of Forces” (military tattoo).
СЕНТЯБРЬ — “Say if needed — I will be near.”
СЛИЧЖВР — “Death to cops and chekists, life to thieves — recidivists.”
СЛЖБ — “Death to cops, life to the ‘blatnye’ (criminals).”
СЛЖН — “Death to cops — there is no life.”
СЛОН — multiple readings: “With one beloved forever; death to cops by knife; since childhood only misfortunes; the heart loves one forever; bitches love one boss.”
СНЕГ — “I greatly like the unique eyes.”
СОН — “With (me) only misfortunes; happiness bypasses the unlucky; the most impish brat.”
СОН-ВХ — “The most impish brat — always wants.”
СОС (505) — “Save from trial; saved from whores; saved from syphilis; whores took freedom; save, father, your son.” (various readings)
СС (55) — “Kept conscience.”
СО-КГБ — “Sons of bitches — gang of state bandits (derogatory for security services).”
СС-ММ — “Super-sex — my dream; super-vice-operators — I can (handle) silently.”
СП — “Death to the badge-wearers (cops).”
СПВ — “Glory to the fallen thieves.”
СТОН — “With you only misfortunes; happiness drowns from the impure; you alone are needed by my heart.”
СТОП — “Happiness to the one who is useful.”
СУМЕРКИ — “I can protect my dear if separation is a trial.”
СЧАК — “Bitches — often the active ones.”
СЭР — “Freedom — this is paradise.”

Т

ТЕНИС — “You are — tenderness and tears.”
ТИГР — “Prison is a toy; you, the unfaithful, I am ready to tear apart; comrades, let’s go rob the restaurant.”
ТИН — “You or nobody.”
ТИНД — “You and no one else.”
ТМЖ — “Prison prevents living.”
ТМОН — “I like you a lot.”
ТОБОЛ — “Only you sicken me with stale love.”
ТОМСК. — “You touched my heart alone.”
ТОХИС — “You are very good and famous.”
ТРОН — “You are my one eternal joy.”
ТУЗ — “Prison is fun for us; prison teaches the law; prison is already familiar; prison inmate.”
ТУЗ - С С — “You already know — super-sex.”
ТУМР — “The taiga will hide me, my dear.”

У

УЗ: ВУЕК — “Prisoner of the zones: Vorkuta, Ural, Siberia, Kolyma.”
УТРО — “Left by the path of my native father.”

Х

ХЛЕБ — “I will keep love of the only one. Christ cherishes the poor.”
ХМБИС — “God and fate protect me.”
ХРИСТОС? — “Do you want me to give you joy and tears?” (religious-tinged phrasing)
ХТКПТ — “Screw the one who invented prison.” (vulgar)
ЦЛИБИС — “Value love and preserve true freedom.”
ЦМОС — “The ends justify the means.”

Ш

ША! — “Prank, convict!” (cheerful exhortation)
ШАМПАНСКОЕ? — “A joke, or perhaps just a hellish mockery — say how to evaluate it?” (rhetorical)
ШПДЗМ! — “Prank, kid, but know the measure.”

Э

ЭВЖМС? — “Elixir of eternal female youth — semen?” (crude sexual phrase)
ЭЛЕКТРОН — “This love, the only one you kindled, will remain forever.”
ЭПРОН — “Eros, give joy to an insatiable one.”
ЭТАП — “A tour of taiga convict bosses.”
ЭХО! — “Eros, I want to give myself! Ah, how good (it would be) to gorge! This is enough for one!”

Ю

ЮВ - ВТК — “Young inmate — correctional labour colony.”
ЮДА — “Young friend of Adolf.”
ЮДВ — “Young friend among thieves.”
ЮГ — “Young robber; southern robber; young thug; young touring thief.”

Я

ЯБЛОКО — “I will love one like I promised.”
ЯВА — “I f***ed up the active group.” (vulgar)
ЯВТПК — “I will drink you drop by drop.” (poetic)
ЯД — “I will get healed.” (ambiguous)
ЯДРО — “I give joy once.”
ЯЛТА — “I love you, angel.”
ЯНИН — “I am taught by betrayal forever.”
ЯННА — “I hope for amnesty.”
ЯНПТС — “I am not a sellout of the Soviet scum.”
ЯПОНИЯ? — “I will forgive an offense, not betrayal, understand?”
ЯР — “I made a decision.”
ЯРД — “I decided to fight.” ЯРДС — “I was born for happiness.”
ЯРМО — “I was born to suffer alone.”
ЯСССССВД — “I ate my conscience with snot as a child.” (grotesque phrase)
ЯХОНТ — “I want one (one girl) forever.”
ЯХТ / ЯХТА / ЯХТТ — variations of “I want you; I want you, little angel; I want only you.”

Final note: interpretations above are the most commonly cited variants, but none of these readings is absolute. Many abbreviations are regionally variable, used ironically, forced on inmates, or have private meanings. The only person who can authoritatively explain a tattoo is its bearer.

Russian Prison Tattoo Abbreviations — glossary and translations

Prison Tattoo Abbreviations — common shortened inscriptions and their meanings

А

Б

В

Г

Д

Е

Ж

З

И

К

Л

М

Н

О

П

С

Т

У

Х

Ш

Э

Ю

Я

You might also like

Russian Criminal Tattoos: Betrayal, Hatred, and Secret Codes of the Underworld

Prison Tattoo Symbols — Cards, Saber, Bayonet, Barbed Wire, Bear, Arrow and Key

Russian Prison Tattoo Meanings: Symbols of Power, Violence, and Defiance