Similar to getting some Japanese text written on you, know what they actually mean at surface and deeper levels, but not only due to it potentially meaning something different to what you think:
A couple thousand or so years of energetic association to the symbol means you're attracting it to yourself in a fairly permanent way.
Not only by having it written on you but by others seeing it, knowing what it means, or 'genetic memory' recognizing and subconsciously labelling you with such energies.
An example of this problem might be someone who gets the tattoo of Uruz, which at a base interpretation is just "strength", or endurance, etc.
However it is known as "Aurochs" and associated to the wild ox, a primal force that is near uncontrollable.
How easy to lose control of yourself after bringing such energy upon yourself?
In my opinion, well developed, defined and personalized bind runes are a far better option.
These can look amazing and be designed and styled in a variety of ways to look like a shape representing something or be more like a monogram. They cannot be immediately discerned by random parties, by being specifically developed for a purpose their meaning can be well defined and the energies and associations be appropriately tuned.
