Questions tagged [translation]
Questions on specific points regarding translating Chinese. Do your own research first!
2,402
questions
1
vote
4
answers
98
views
How can we translate Promise for computer science into Chinese?
https://axios-http.com/ In this website, it introduce axios as a simple promise based HTTP client for the browser and node.js. So, how can we translate promise here?
Axios is a simple promise based ...
- 23
2
votes
2
answers
96
views
应用文翻译成什么比较合适 ？ Practical writing?
应用文（借用百度的定义）这种文体，英语到底翻译成什么？
关于“应用文”的概念，学界尚无统一严格的定义，也不可能会有这样的定义，不同的学者和书籍往往有不同的归纳和概括。学习者可从以下几个方面把握其本质特征：
写作目的明确（实用性)
语言表达规范（规范性）
格式体例稳定
时间要素明确
Google 查了半天，只查到 practical writing 感觉有点怪，很Chinglish的感觉
- 131
0
votes
2
answers
66
views
What do the combination of these characters on this ring mean
Could you tell me what my rings says
1
vote
5
answers
614
views
How can I express the concept of a "one-off"?
one-off: (n.) something done, made, or happening only once, not as part of a regular sequence; "the meeting is a one-off"
I've been using the phrase 一次性 to mean "one-off" (or &...
- 15.9k
1
vote
4
answers
103
views
Most common/well known translation of "Ice cream"
I've heard two distinct translations of "Ice cream" in the past, “冰淇凌” and “冰激凌”. There also appears to be a third variant “冰淇淋” according to my input method. I used to think that there was ...
- 123
2
votes
4
answers
483
views
How can I understand 十二建除择日 in Feng Shui?
Or if you can indicate a site or book in English about Feng Shui that talks about this.
十二建除择日又可称为十二建星择日，这十二颗星分别为：建、除、满、平、定、执、破、危、成、收、开、闭。
Can someone please help me translate?
- 51
1
vote
1
answer
122
views
What is the Chinese translation for the term "Gee Joon" in Pai Gow?
Wikipedia doesn't provide the translation for "Gee Joon" in English, and on the Chinese version, it gives the terms 至尊宝，猴王對，皇帝，and 至尊天九, which don't seem to match the transliteration (https:/...
- 35
1
vote
4
answers
119
views
Translating 道可道非恆道 from the Tao Te Ching: Part 2
I asked this a while back before I had a better grasp as to how Chinese structures sentences (even though I still don't speak Chinese). So instead of coming at this from English back to Chinese, I ...
- 1,216
0
votes
0
answers
66
views
Can anyone help me by translating the characters in this image?
These characters located at the bottom right corner of my silk painting, consist of a seal (which I believe could be the artist's chop) and cursive script located above the seal.
I used filters to ...
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
83
views
translation from Chinese to English "八个八"
I have seen a story about Wi-Fi passwords that in China some public Wi-Fi will have passwords like "88888888" and say “八个八”. How to translate it into English? google, DeepL, youdao translate ...
- 324
2
votes
4
answers
182
views
What is the closest mandarin translation to “everything happens for a reason”?
I was told it was
事
出
必
有
因
Is this accurate? Or is there a better translation to be told. Also if I may get a mandarin pronunciation that would be also appreciated.
- 21
2
votes
3
answers
141
views
How to use 就像 when the subjects of the two clauses are different?
I'm wanting to say "I'm going to support you as though you were my friend" or "I'm going to support you like a friend", something to that effect. There's probably a more colloquial ...
- 21
1
vote
2
answers
105
views
Can anyone help me translate these seals?
Can anyone help me translate these seals? I have tried using google translate, google lens but they were no help. I also don’t know much about this so I don’t really know what I am looking for or even ...
- 11
1
vote
4
answers
121
views
How to translate website moderator?
What's the proper translation for "moderator"? As in website moderator, e.g. Chinese.SE moderators.
Some dictionaries suggest 版主, however this appears to be more suitable to "(live) ...
- 5,452
2
votes
1
answer
176
views
Meaning of one seal and characters on my Chinese painting?
I have previously received great help here on discovering the meaning of characters and seals on a pair of Chinese paintings I own. I also own a third Chinese painting which I've always wondered what ...
- 45
4
votes
3
answers
169
views
How to say "shift your weight uneasily"?
I actually saw someone else ask this question today, and it kind of stumped me. I couldn't think of any very good ways to parse the phrase into chinese. So I became curious if there is a pre-existing ...
- 1,586
1
vote
1
answer
121
views
Meaning of 蓋聞, just after the end of the opening poem in Journey to the West
I'm attempting a retranslation of Journey to the West that adheres more closely to the Chinese than translations I've found so far.
In the Jenner translation, this is left out.
In Anthony Yu's ...
- 171
1
vote
2
answers
108
views
What does 问道 mean?
To report the ongoing 20th Communist Party of China National Congress, China Daily, the official national English language media of mainland China, issued a video program titled 问道, with its English ...
- 2,514
2
votes
1
answer
732
views
What do these seal stamps and characters on my pair of Chinese paintings mean?
I have a set of what seems to be two Chinese paintings. The stamp seals on them are the same - indicating the same painter or previous owner for both of them If I've understood correctly - but the ...
- 45
1
vote
1
answer
197
views
What does the pottery mark on the bottom of this purple sand clay teapot say? I picked it up recently and can't do it myself
I do appreciate any insight on this. It is so hard for me to do this myself.
- 13
2
votes
3
answers
285
views
How do you say "when law becomes tyranny rebellion becomes duty" in the shortest possible way in Chinese?
I want to know how to say as Thomas Jefferson said "when law becomes tyranny rebellion becomes duty" in Chinese but with as few signs as possible, traditional Chinese or simplified whichever ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
124
views
Snuff Bottle Calligraphy
I recently inherited a modern snuff bottle collection that have what looks like old calligraphy on the back side. Can someone tell me what the calligraphy says, and maybe even the chop?
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
315
views
What is the proper way of saying "if" in Cantonese?
I know in Mandarin, it is easy to say something like "if" by using a statement akin to this:
如果我要去北京的話，我就用飛機。
When I looked up the word "if" in Cantonese, my dictionary brought ...
user31212
1
vote
2
answers
205
views
What does this Chinese seal translate to?
I have just recently bought this from a antique shop nearby and would like to know what it translates too
Thanks! :)
3
votes
3
answers
490
views
How to ask "open to"?
E.g. "Is this role open to foreign applicants"?
My thought is "这个职位对外国申请人开放吗" or "这个职位接受外国申请人吗"
- 63
1
vote
2
answers
57
views
How to literally translate this sentence: 志愿者同时欣赏原作和画面元素被调整后的画作?
另一个实验是这样，志愿者同时欣赏原作和画面元素被调整后的画作，包括静物画和抽象画。结果，几乎每个人都更喜欢原作。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 18.
Please help me understand the literal translation of this sentence: ...
- 1,089
2
votes
3
answers
174
views
Translating "a looming feeling"
How would one translate "I feel rather relieved today. A nagging feeling still looms over me, but on the surface I feel unstressed." Anything to that effect works.
The first sentence could ...
- 428
2
votes
5
answers
701
views
How to literally translate the 由人类艺术家挥笔 in 志愿者普遍更喜欢的作品都是由人类艺术家挥笔完成的?
也许有人认为，在这种情况下根本不可能分辨出来。然而在每一次测试中，志愿者普遍更喜欢的作品都是由人类艺术家挥笔完成的。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 18. How to literally translate this part: 由人类艺术家挥笔?
I have reached at this point:
志愿者(...
- 1,089
2
votes
2
answers
64
views
Whats the difference between 客户反馈 vs 客户评论 vs 用户评论?
Trying to say "customer reviews" in Mandarin but don't know what the correct term is for online course student/user reviews. Please help!
- 21
2
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What does GG mean here?
Saw this FB post about this unfortunate taxi accident in HK:
However I have never heard the term GG before and was wondering if its supposed to be shorthand for something else?
user31212
1
vote
1
answer
447
views
What is the man saying in this Cantonese cartoon?
I started watching Old Master Q today and came across this scene where they try to get an interview, but I couldn't quite understand what was being said here:
https://youtu.be/OR8nxtw8GjY?t=502
...
user31212
2
votes
1
answer
408
views
What does 飄過 mean in this context?
Was playing some game that usually has a decent amount of Chinese speakers and at the beginning of the match somebody spammed this:
What would 飄過 mean here? I know it can mean to float but otherwise ...
user31212
2
votes
2
answers
569
views
Can someone provide a translation of this old HK smoking ad?
I came across this interesting smoking ad from Hong Kong, but while I understand a good number of the characters, its hard for me to piece together everything that is being said here:
From what I can ...
user31212
2
votes
2
answers
278
views
"I haven't seen him lately" 我最近没有看到他 is 有 necessary?
I'm trying to say I haven't seen him lately, I got two versions:
我最近没有看到他
我最近没看到他
My question is are they both correct and mean the same thing? Is it like in this case with 有 the 看到 is more like a ...
- 291
2
votes
4
answers
326
views
How does 讽刺 mean both "sarcastic" and "ironic"?
A colleague described a situation (or maybe something a person said in that situation) as "sarcastic," but it didn't really make sense. I asked if she meant "ironic," and she said ...
- 121
2
votes
3
answers
75
views
Understanding 落实政策
I've often read about 给 XXX 落实政策。This thing seems to be very flexible.
For example, 落实疫情防控政策 and 给烈士子女落实政策。
How to contextually translate this phrase into English?
- 759
2
votes
3
answers
182
views
How can I express "off the top of my head"?
In English, we often use the phrase:
Off the top of my head: from the knowledge you have in your memory.
E.g. we might say:
Off the top of my head, I don't know the answer.
I can think of one ...
- 15.9k
3
votes
3
answers
922
views
How would I say "I'm going to be living here for a year"?
Would 我要住这儿一年 be the most acceptable translation?
- 63
2
votes
2
answers
113
views
Why does "meta-" translate to “元-”?
Why does "meta-" translate to “元-”?
For example, metadata=元数据, meta-analysis=元分析, metaphysics=元物理学。
I understand meta-X to mean "X that is about/of/concerning X". But 元 tends to ...
- 121
3
votes
1
answer
178
views
Need help with artist name seal (Characters identified: 文丘德之印)
Could anyone help me identify this artist? It is on a silk ink painting. Thank you.
My Chinese is not that good but usually, I get by with dictionaries. However, seal script is new for me. I found ...
- 31
3
votes
0
answers
113
views
I am hoping to find any information available regarding this stamp (Characters identified: 福 日本館印)
This stamp is on an Enso circle that I purchased at auction. I'm hoping to find out any information that may be gleaned from it.
- 31
1
vote
0
answers
200
views
I need help translating a Chinese seal/stamp on a painting
I don't have the adequate knowledge or tools to translate the characters. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
2
votes
1
answer
65
views
What does the seal on the bottom of this purple clay teapot say
Purple clay teapot. I wonder if someone can help me translate it and provide insights into its history.
- 21
1
vote
2
answers
194
views
How can I recognize Chinese characters in pictures? (Characters identified: 興隆 and 禄)
How to translate a character from a picture into text? Tried different OCR tools but didn't get much success. I want to convert:
- 13
1
vote
0
answers
97
views
Art Translation on Gorgeous Pieces!
I came across a few pieces of Chinese art and purchased them all. One piece was called 100 Stallions and came in a cool box with ivory. I have these other pieces that I love but I have no clue what ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
143
views
2
votes
1
answer
86
views
Trying to say "He goes home once a year"
I'm trying to say, "He goes home once a year". However, I struggle with the correct placement of 一次 in a sentence. I somewhere saw 他每年回一次家, which seems strange to me, is this order correct? ...
- 291
2
votes
4
answers
199
views
What does 一般 mean?
'一般' 的意思? 初学者的问题 我查了字典这个词的意思，但我不明白
这个词
经常看到
我想知道意思
一般来说
i guess in English nuances is close to
generally
rule of thumb
broadly speaking
p.s. I am quarter British so idk wide knowledge of hanzi
- 21
2
votes
2
answers
71
views
Why does 两次 change position in 我们每周两次用中文聊十分钟好吗 vs. 我们每周用中文聊天两次好吗？
I want to say:
Shall we chat in Chinese for ten minutes twice a week?
Translator program gives the following output:
我们每周两次用中文聊十分钟好吗？
When I remove the duration from the sentence, the position of ...
- 21
1
vote
1
answer
220
views
(NSFW) Making a vulgar joke sound natural in Mandarin (Warning: contains offensive language)
My friend and I were jokingly conversing (read: google translating) in Mandarin Chinese and I spent 20 minutes on Wiktionary trying to translate
offensive language:
into Mandarin. I ended up with &...
- 31