Tattoo scroll style/kanji thoughts

I notice some basketball players with tattoos that shows a scroll on their arm with some type of scripture writing maybe? or something on it not in english usually. Anyone know what type of tattoo this is called? and do you have to get something religious in that scroll or get anything translated inside of it? Also I have a Kanji tattoo that I had proffesionally translated before I got it done and the number one annoying question is.....how do you really know what it says? Just wondering how you guys respond to that annoying question ..LOLOL.