Questions tagged [translation]
Questions on specific points regarding translating Chinese to/from another language. Do your own research first!
1,840
questions
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How to translate "(surname)老板“ in English
how does one translate '(surname)老板' from Chinese to English?
I understand that the word '老板' means boss/shopkeeper/shop owner/chief, but when a surname is added in front of their position, how ...
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3answers
137 views
How to translate 'grade school 風紀/風紀員' into English?
When I was a grade school student in Hong Kong, some students in school would be assigned positions of duty or authority. For example, 班長 (class representative) , 行長 (roll leader) and 風紀(whose duty ...
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6answers
286 views
What does 委屈你了 mean in this situation?
Suppose your friend invites you to dinner. He prepares a dish that he knows is too spicy for you, but you're a good sport and try it anyway; it actually turns out to be quite tasty. He says 委屈你了.
"I ...
2
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2answers
113 views
Where can I find word-for-word translation for “Beijing Huan Ying Ni” song?
I'm trying to learn Chinese by listening to music, and I've been listening to the Olympic song "Beijing Huan Ying Ni." But I don't know what the words mean. All the translations online are approximate ...
3
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1answer
168 views
Translation of Chinese Scroll and Seal
Is someone able to help translate the text (calligraphy?) and seal on this scroll?
I had a go at translating the seal using guoxuedashi and http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/ but wasn't ...
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1answer
40 views
Definition order of adjectives of noun
黑小狗 means black puppy and 小黑狗 means small black dog, please correct me if I am wrong.
2
votes
2answers
63 views
播出，廣播，轉播 ：哪裡不一樣？
So I'm studying the translation for broadcasting and three terms (well, excluding one, which I'll mention at the end) are given to me by a textbook. They are 播出, 廣播 and 轉播.
For the life of me I ...
2
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2answers
286 views
What is the original quote of “To be calm is the highest achievement of the self"?
This is allegedly a "Zen proverb":
“To be calm is the highest achievement of the self”
I tried to look for it by searching on Google, but I could not find the original. What is the original text ...
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2answers
96 views
Using 得 with past particle 了
I tried to translate this sentence:
The man cleaned the bathroom cleanly.
I thought it would be:
他把卫生间打扫得干净了。
but my Chinese friends said that this is a wrong sentence.
I am wondering,
Why is ...
4
votes
2answers
216 views
说你胖 你还喘上了 来劲儿了 how does this translate in english in this context?
I'm trying to figure out what the sentence in the title means in this context:
A gang of punks has just beaten a retarded guy and another guy, who saw what was going on, tries to stop them but he ...
0
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1answer
91 views
A joke involving 忆苦思甜
I ran into the following wordplay:
That's your dad! [...] I heard he has two wives, one back in the countryside,
and a new one. Why do you think one's called Sitian and the other is called Yiku?
I ...
3
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1answer
44 views
时量补语：modal and verb 了
Is there any difference between these two sentences: 我们已经分别了十年了 and 我们已经分别十年了 , the question is regarding 了 in these sentences, should we put one or two 了?
Thanks.
2
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1answer
98 views
Is there any difference between 我给你不买 and 我不给你买?
Is there any difference between these two sentences:
我给你不买
and
我不给你买?
Chinese grammar says we should put 不 in front of the preposition in these types of sentences...
But I saw a lot examples when ...
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3answers
57 views
“Still better than” informal translation — X 还是比 Y 好 abbreviation
I want to say "X is still better than Y :)" in a kind of joking/offhand manner. This is just a simple text message, so I would further like to abbreviate it like: "still better than Y :)"
My ...
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3answers
65 views
中国有的地方都下雪了 some places in China
中国有的地方都下雪了
How may translate this sentence, why the translation is “some places are ...”?
中国有的地方都 means “all the places which are in China...”, doesn’t it?
Thanks in advance.
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1answer
58 views
What is the English translation of my chop? Is it right side up? [closed]
I bought calligraphy supplies in a Chinatown and talked with the owner of the store. I told the person (who had her uncle carve this) that I was an artist/painter. I also told her my name in English ...
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3answers
60 views
Is it okay to use multiple degree-intensifiers in a sentence?
I found this example sentence in Pleco's dictionary entry for 厲害 :
他的聲音真的很厲害。His voice is amazing.
Why isn't 真的 included in the translation to make it "His voice really/truly is amazing"?
More ...
0
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2answers
62 views
How would we more accurately translate 那胸前凸起的完美弧度 (published translation: “perfect curve of the convex in front of her chest”)?
Reddit's /r/MenWritingWomen laughed at this awful-sounding description of a female character's appearance (original translation):
Her long and thin eyebrows, water-like eyes, tall and beautiful ...
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1answer
182 views
Meaning of a text on a teapot (Characters identified: 石泉槐火)
I have a teapot which has been in my family for about a century. Not knowing the Chinese language I tried to make something of the five characters text which is marked on it. With Google Translate I ...
2
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1answer
54 views
Does a good equivalent of “pitch” not exist?
I've been wondering if there is a good Chinese equivalent of the word pitch. Pitch is short for sales pitch and it is another term for a sales presentation (presentation, another word without a good ...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
How to rhyme (押韻) when translating poetry?
I found the following traslation of Psalm 1:3-4 of the Bible amazingly elegant:
譬彼林木、植於溪旁、隨時結果、其葉青蒼、百事允臧、維彼惡者、猶之粃糠、爲風飄揚。
English (KJV): And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of
...
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8answers
211 views
What is the correct way to ask “How do I get to your school” in Mandarin?
Here my focus is to understand the correct usage of 怎么走 and 到.
The English sentence is, "How do I get to your school". This is in terms of asking the directions to reach the school.
I found three ...
0
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1answer
113 views
Translation/meaning of 叫阮的名 song by 巫啟賢 [closed]
What is the meaning/translation of the song lyrics. I grew up listening to this song and it brings me great memories. However, I do not know Hokkien. If you are willing to share or point me to a ...
3
votes
1answer
131 views
Why 明 for tomorrow and next year but 下 for next month?
I would like to understand why you can say 明天 and 明年 but not 明月, or why you can't say 下天 and 下年 but you say 下月. From the dictionary, 明 and 下 both seem to mean "next".
Maybe the logic behind is "just ...
0
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2answers
81 views
木木 is there anything linked to a Chinese superstition with this double character?
Is there anything linked to a Chineses superstition with this double
character?
I am "going to" start learning Chinese because I met a lady etc.
Her Chat has 木木 (may) her American name. I asked about ...
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2answers
147 views
Please help translate my Chinese seal chop (Characters identified: 詩思妮)
While on a recent trip to Shenzhen, China, I came across a booth selling Chinese Chops. I had one made for me.
The artist asked me to write my name down, CECILE, and he made me this chop. Since he ...
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1answer
79 views
Need help identifying what is written on the banknote [duplicate]
Can you please tell me what denomination this banknote is and what year? Thank you!
3
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5answers
165 views
What does 活宝 mean?
My boss is Chinese and calls a coworker and I this 活宝 . The automated translation services tend to say Living Treasure Two Big Live Treasures or Living Baby. She swears there is more to the definition ...
3
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3answers
240 views
How do I translate these criticisms about Australia by Chinese netizens? E.g., 我实名不满澳大利亚，狗腿子一个！还有脸说没听过。
It seems by birth country (Australia) and adopted country (China) are having a bit of a spat at the moment. I'm sure it'll pass soon enough, but anyway...
Spokesperson 耿爽 says ...你上中国的网络，...
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3answers
89 views
what is the correct translation for the indoor playground attraction called a “ball pit”, google gives: 球坑
My son is working a project for his dual language immersion 2nd grade class; is 球坑 intelligible, as in: "这是我的球坑。" ?
I am always very concerned that the automated translation stuff will present ...
2
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2answers
133 views
Help with a Taiwanese expression
I had friends from Taiwan many years ago who often used an expression that seemed to mean something like "praising an idol, or bowing down" not sure. Sometimes said with a bowing down motion. It was ...
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2answers
91 views
Entity types and names of China’s companies in Latin alphabet
In China, there are two entity types of limited company:
有限责任公司 / 有限公司: 中国移动通信集团 有限公司 | China Mobile Communications Group Co Ltd
股份有限公司 / 股份公司: 中国石油天然气 股份有限公司 | PetroChina Co Ltd
Questions:
Entity ...
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2answers
89 views
What is 女斗士 and when can I use this?
女斗士 was used to pertain to a courageous female based on what I read, but I wanted to know how am I able to use this word and when?
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1answer
192 views
What does 再不起床太阳就要晒屁股啦 say?
I saw on the internet that someone's trying to wake up someone by saying:
再不起床太阳就要晒屁股啦。
But when I translate in the internet, it turns out to be a bit vulgar 😅 I just want to know how you ...
3
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3answers
131 views
How do you “know about things” in Chinese? What's the easiest or most common way?
我对中国的地理知识还了解得不太多。
This is quite a complex way to say "I don't know too much about geography of China".
How do you say it easilier?
I'm sure you can use both 知道 or 了解. But is 对 the only correct ...
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2answers
64 views
How do you ask “Will you see your child next Sunday” in Chinese using verb not verb structure?
What will be the difference between 你下个星期天会不会见你的孩子 and 你下个星期天会见不见你的孩子 ?
I am learning these sentences on Duolingo :) and was given the meaning of 你下个星期天会不会见你的孩子 as "Will you see your child next ...
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1answer
55 views
How to translate equal weight and sector weight?
RYE (Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF) equally weighs each stock.
My attempt with Google Translate: RYE平均權衡每隻股票
SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF) sector weighs each stock.
My attempt: SPU按部門稱量每隻股票。...
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1answer
72 views
“The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent.”
This quote is imputed to John Maynard Keynes (1883 - 1946). How do I translate it to Chinese?
My attempt with Google Translate: 股市保持非理性的時間, 要比保持破產的時間長。
Keynes was thus able to scrape together the ...
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4answers
84 views
Do we say 星期五早上 or 早上星期五?
Would we literally say Friday morning (星期五早上) in Chinese or the morning of Friday (早上星期五)? Do we say the day first or the time of the day?
Thanks,
Soccergirl
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4answers
1k views
What does 天將降大任於斯人也,必先苦其心志 mean?
"天將降大任於斯人也,必先苦其心志" seems to be a saying by 老子 or 孟子. Could someone provide a literal translation + what the saying means?
0
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1answer
42 views
What does 即便確實發生了什麼事，也不會波及到你身上 say?
即便確實發生了什麼事，也不會波及到你身上。
I believe this is in traditional. The English text is:
Even if something does happen, nothing will happen to you.
I don’t think I translated this correct, can anyone tell ...
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2answers
111 views
What does my Chinese name 林惠妃 mean?
I was adopted from China at 11 months and was given a name in the orphanage. My Chinese name is 林惠妃。I study Chinese currently, and am just unsure of the meaning of my name. I have been given some ...
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2answers
179 views
How do you ask “Who is your dad” in Chinese? [duplicate]
I am learning Chinese on Duolingo and recently saw a translation of "Who is your dad?" as 谁是你的爸爸.
When I used Google translate I got a similar answer.
I have learnt (in the basics) that we put the ...
1
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1answer
86 views
比较你们国家和中国对颜色、数字的看法: How can I compare two country's opinions on “colors” and “numbers”?
发展汉语，高级口语（I） has this problem (page 24):
比较你们国家和中国对颜色、数字的看法
It translates to something like:
Compare your country and China's opinions on colors and numbers
I'm confused about what it's asking ...
0
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1answer
84 views
How do you say “none available”?
How do you say "none available"? As in: "There is none available" (without the "there is". Or not.).
0
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2answers
49 views
How to say “a bit more” in “Verb + Something + a bit more”
I'm often stuck with how to use "a bit more" in Chinese in situations like :
Verb + something + a bit more
I want to watch TV a bit more
I want to eat spicy noodles a bit more
I want to ...
2
votes
3answers
317 views
Difference between 目的 and 目标
I don’t manage to grasp the difference between the two words 目的 or 目标.
I have seen some explanations stating that 目的 means purpose and 目标 objective but I don’t know if it is a cultural issue or not ...
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votes
6answers
2k views
Does this article claim that Australian citizens of Chinese ethnicity are seeking asylum in China to flee COVID-19? (大多数华裔恐怕只是把中国当成了一处避难所而已)
I saw this on a tabloid-like Chinese news outlet:
不少澳大利亚华裔之所以要离开，很大程度上是因为澳大利亚国内疫情开始呈现爆发迹象，但中国的疫情已经得到了有效控制，所以大多数华裔恐怕只是把中国当成了一处避难所而已，但他们应该清楚的是，拥有澳大利亚国籍的自己早已不是中国公民了。
易有料, Yiyouliao, undated, viewed ...
2
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3answers
183 views
沒verb vs 沒有verb
I encountered this in one of my language learning apps. What is the difference between
昨天這個男孩沒有喝牛奶 (by google translate: The boy did not drink milk yesterday)
and
昨天這個男孩沒喝牛奶 (by google translate: ...
2
votes
2answers
42 views
healing stillness
How would I translate the phrase 'healing stillness'?
The sense I mean here is that the stillness has the quality of healing, that the healing is spiritual (beyond ordinary physical healing) and the ...
