This is one of the most interesting translations i've encountered. The '... + 贴' pattern is understandable, but how did '魔术' (magic) get there? The only other word I know that has been translated as '魔术 + ...' is 魔术方块 (rubic's cube), which I suppose makes more sense than trying to transliterate 'rubics'. I'm just curious as to the origin of this.
1 Answer
魔术贴 is not a translation or transliteration of Velcro. It is a 'Chinese name' given to the product.
Terms like 魔术(Magic) or 神奇(wonder), are commonly used in naming new and innovated products.
What is so wonderful about the Wonder Bra? -- unlike normal bra, it wonderfully pushes your breasts up
What is so magical about 魔术贴? -- unlike normal sticker, it can be easily peered off like magic
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QUOTE:- " unlike normal bra, it wonderfully pushes your breasts up" Learn something new today :) Jun 14, 2020 at 5:16
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@ Wayne Cheah Chinese often name foreign products in locally understood terms instead of translation or transliteration. Do you know 荷蘭水 (Dutch water ) was the early name given to 'soda pop' in Cantonese? Because back then Holland was a main trading partner of Canton, so 荷蘭水 would mean 'unlike normal water, it is water imported from Holland'. The term 荷蘭水蓋 (Holland water bottle cap) which is a slang for ' honor medal' is still in use today– Tang Ho ♦Jun 14, 2020 at 5:27
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Heh, I was under the impression that the "magic" part meant that it was reusable, unlike normal tape.– dROOOzeJun 14, 2020 at 6:02
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@Tang Ho:- A Cantonese transliteration of a Western product that I can recall is Eau de Cologne, 古龍水, (gu2 lung4 seoi2), (Cologne water), which was all the rage during our mother's time. Well, as for 荷蘭水 (Dutch water ), we in SE Asia still, sometimes, call it that, though people are beginning to use the Mandarin term, 汽水 Jun 14, 2020 at 11:50