2

As an exercise, I’m attempting to translate Chinese subtitles to English, but stumped on this dialogue, that’s available online at https://youtu.be/iwbiyfBXkc0?t=16m16s [my translation in brackets]:

  1. Female worker praising the work of a policeman: 人家可是天天賣命 [They sacrifice themselves everyday]

  2. Male colleague replies: 照你的意思 [As you wish/According to your meaning/?? ]

  3. Then (Spoken in Taiwanese Hokkien) 你不就去煞到他的頂八卦 [You’re not attracted to him?]

  4. She responds with a smack to his head and: 你胡說什麼少囉嗦 [What nonsense are you talking? Stop going on!]

The translation for statement 3 resulted from the explanation in the last paragraph of the article at:

http://blog.xuite.net/rich_mtw/twblog/127173654-『煞到頂八卦』

This explanation seems plausible, given her response. But I cannot translate statement 2 in any way that makes sense.

Any ideas?

EDIT: Looking for a translation that makes sense in this context, so an answer that explains why a particular translation makes sense in this context would be more helpful.

Improve this question
1
  • According to your meaning
    – Zhang
    Apr 24, 2018 at 1:46

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
3

意思 could mean: meaning; ; intention; idea; thinking

"照你的意思" in this context means "According to your idea /thinking"

(意思 synonym 想法)

Improve this answer
4
  • Thanks this was helpful, as it led me to become aware of the overlap between the dictionary definition for 意思 as idea/opinion/meaning, and the dictionary definition for 想法 as idea/opinion/way of thinking. "According to your thinking" is a plausible translation in this context, because it means statement 3 follows from statement 1 not by what was said, but by what was implied.
    – user19535
    Apr 23, 2018 at 13:19
  • Reviewing the definition of 意思 led to this similar example sentence in Pleco: 聽你的意思，莫非是我錯了？ Do you mean to say that I’m in the wrong? which also uses 意思 to denote implication. And makes me wonder if 照你的意思 can be translated in the same way: 照你的意思，你不就去煞到他的頂八卦 Do you mean to say that you’re not attracted to him?
    – user19535
    Apr 23, 2018 at 13:43
  • @stumped 照 ( 'according to' - implies 'words are spoken') is different from 聽 ( 'hear' - clearly indicates 'words are spoken') . "照你的意思，你不就去煞到他的頂八卦" could be translated as "Do you mean you’re not attracted to him? ", but "According to your opinion, you’re not attracted to him? " is more accurate.
    – Tang Ho ♦
    Apr 23, 2018 at 17:59
  • This explanation makes sense to me, and provides a basis for judging other possible translations. So marking this as accepted answer. Thanks.
    – user19535
    Apr 23, 2018 at 21:57
1

人家可是天天賣命。
You (policemen) make sacrifices every day.
照你的意思。
You said it.
你不就去煞到他的頂八卦 (Very odd Chinese, are you sure that's what they said?)
(Maybe this:) 不要告诉我，你爱上他了。
Don't tell me that you are in love with him?
你胡說什麼少囉嗦
What nonsense, shut up!

Improve this answer
3
  • 1
    The dialogue can be viewed by following the YouTube link in the question. Here is the last paragraph of the article explaining 煞到頂八卦: 不然從小就常聽這句閩南語『煞到頂八卦』也和朋友交談中誤解含意說是意味男歡女愛：『煞到頂八卦』是看見異性朋友身材姣好就被吸引住了意思
    – user19535
    Apr 23, 2018 at 11:52
  • I know nothing of Taiwan language or 闽南语, ordinary Chinese is hard enough for me! I'll try to remember 煞到頂八卦
    – Pedroski
    Apr 23, 2018 at 12:15
  • “You said it” is a complete sentence, indicating affirmation of the other speaker’s statement. In this dialogue, 照你的意思 is an introductory clause (not a complete sentence), with no indication (in the video) of either affirming or denying the other speaker’s statement.
    – user19535
    Apr 23, 2018 at 12:19
0

This means "as what you said", "according to what you said"

Improve this answer
1
  • Thanks but, in this context, this doesn’t make sense to me because nothing the female worker says in statement 1 seems to lead to statement 3. So this translation makes statement 3 become a non sequitur.
    – user19535
    Apr 23, 2018 at 12:27

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.