Centipede Tattoo Meaning With 115 Stunning Images to Express Your Spirituality

Centipede tattoos are a symbol of spirituality and a connection to the afterlife or death.

Some people don't like the creepy-crawly nature of centipedes. There are others (like you and me) who find them really cool. Most people like the centipede tattoo and also like hanging out and chilling alone. Does this sound like you? Then getting a centipede tattoo just makes sense since they are also usually found in isolation.

If you would like to keep them guessing about your personality by getting awesome centipede tattoos, you've come to the right place. Here are 115 centipede tattoo designs you can try. But before we get into seeing the amazing pictures, let's learn all there is to know about centipedes in different cultures.

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All About Centipedes

Centipedes are small invertebrates. They are part of a group called arthropods. Centipedes are mostly found in tropical rainforests, prairies, forests, savannas, and the cold weather of the arctic circle. They spend most of their time in the dirt and hidden places thus often found living inside rocks and rotting woods. They are considered to be important creatures since their work in the ground helps make the soil fertile.

Centipedes are confused with millipedes and it is understandable because they all look similar to worms with many legs. But centipedes have a single pair of legs per segment of their body while millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment.

Centipedes are often said to have one hundred legs but not all do. They might have more or less depending on the species of the centipedes. They can have up to 191 pairs or as little as 15 pairs of legs. Centipedes are usually considered dangerous since they possess venom.

Meaning of Centipede Tattoo Design In Various Cultures

Centipede tattoos usually look amazing with various spiritual meanings. Here are the meanings of the centipede symbol in different cultures.

What Does Centipede Mean in Native America?

Native Americans believe that the centipede tattoo is symbolic of power, and it is an interconnection between the physical world and the underworld. Having the centipede tattoo shows a shamanistic relationship between the wearer and the underworld.

The Zuni tribe of western new Mexico believes the centipede to represent great strength. This is due to their powerful venom that can kill other creatures like snakes, frogs, and rodents.

What Does Centipede Mean in Filipino?

In the Philippines and other Asian cultures, centipedes were seen as messengers from their ancestors. Its presence is seen as the presence of ancestral spirits. The traditional centipede tattoo in the Philippines is done to represent safety and war parties. It is believed that having the tattoo of a centipede is a way of having the ancestors and their blessings with you during wars or journeys.

What Does Centipede Mean in Southeast Asia?

In countries in Southeast Asia, the centipede tattoo represents death. It signifies the loss of someone close to the wearer. It also represents dead bodies, where each pair of legs signifies a dead person.

What Does a Centipede Tattoo Mean in Japanese Culture?

In Japanese culture, the centipede tattoo represents danger and intimidation. The traditional centipede tattoos are also said to symbolize medicine or love for art. The Japanese centipede tattoo usually features the centipede with human heads or faces in place of the body of the centipede.

Opportunity And Good Fortune

The centipede tattoo also symbolizes luck. The voluminous number of legs of the centipede is seen as a gateway to many opportunities in life. Most people who get centipede tattoos, for this reason, believe them to be a symbol of good luck and great opportunities.

Centipede Tattoo Ideas

Simple Centipede Tattoo Ideas

The centipede tattoo designs in this collection feature just the centipede. Most people opt for this design because they believe that adding a different image to the tattoo might distract from the significance of the centipede tattoo.

There's no limit to the size or location where you can get the simple centipede tattoo since it looks great on all parts of the body. You can opt for a minimalistic image that features a small centipede with a simple design, or opt for a larger tattoo where it extends throughout the arm or forearm.

Arm Centipede Tattoo

Forearm Centipede Tattoo

Leg Centipede Tattoos

Thigh Centipede Tattoo

Chest Centipede Tattoo

Face Centipede Tattoos

Stomach Centipede Tattoo

Human Centipede Tattoo Designs

Centipede tattoos can sometimes have a unique twist that some might consider creepy. The tattoo style may feature the shape of a human face or faces instilled within by the tattoo artist. It is commonly seen in Japanese tradition and is sometimes called the Japanese centipede tattoo.

There are several ways to incorporate faces into Japanese centipede body art. You can do this by drawing faces to replace the body of the centipede, or just adding a face to a section of the tattoo. Although not too common, some people ask tattoo artists for a face tattoo that features the centipede crawling on the face.

Here are some centipede tattoos with faces you can recreate.

Skull Centipede Tattoo Ideas

The skull centipede tattoo is unique and attention-grabbing. It usually features a centipede whose body is formed by many small skulls.

Since the skull tattoo symbolizes demise and the centipedes are said to represent a linkage with the underworld, this tattoo shows a relationship between this world and the next. Here are a few designs of centipedes with skull tattoos that you can ask your tattoo artist to recreate.

Centipede Tattoo With Flowers

Flowers might just be the missing piece to make your centipede tattoo bloom. Since the centipedes are usually done using black ink, it would look awesome if you pair your centipede tattoo with that of a bright-colored flower.

You can add a flower species to the tattoo based on the symbolism or for the beauty they add to the centipede tattoo. Although it's usually inked by women, the centipede and flower tattoo looks great on everybody.

Chain Centipede Tattoo

Here, the middle section of the centipede is replaced by chains. A chain tattoo is usually related to fear, which is why the chain centipede tattoo styles are done to signify a fear of the afterlife or a desire to live forever.

Eye Centipede Tattoo

Want to get a centipede tattoo that's even more creepy than the tattoo style with faces? Then getting an eye centipede tattoo is the way to go about it.

The eyes can be inked within the centipede tattoo in several ways. A popular one is by depicting the midsection of the centipede with eyeballs, or you can give it a fun twist by adding smiley faces in between the eye. If you're a fan of colors, you can get the tattoo done in your favorite color or in several colors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Seeing a Centipede Mean Spiritually?

Since centipedes are venomous, they are usually associated with evil and death.

Centipede tattoos usually have an amazing design, paired with spiritual meaning. You can get the centipede tattoo alone or pair it with other insects to give the design more significance.