G to M

G

• Gao1yang2 zhong1 de5 gu1yang2.
• 羔羊中的孤羊。・羔羊中的孤羊。
• "Gao yang jong duh goo yang." [Wash sounds like Go yang jong duh goo yang.]
• "Motherless goats of all motherless goats."
• Wash ("Jaynestown"), as notices land-lock

• gao1yang2 zhong1 de5: among young goats; gao1yang2 a kid [goat], lamb (gao1 a kid [goat], lamb; yang2 goat, sheep); zhong1 de5 among (zhong1 middle, center; de5 possessive marker)
• gu1yang2: orphaned goat; gu1 orphaned, fatherless; yang2 goat, sheep

• Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 jeong5hei3 gung1jing3.
• 救生系統故障。檢查氧氣供應。・ 救生系统故障。检查氧气供应。
• "Jeo-shung yong-jur goo-jang. Jien-cha yong-chi gong yin [sic]."
• "Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once."
• Voice of Serenity [×8] ("Out of Gas"), repeated with English version

• [CANTONESE, Jyutping romanization]
• gau3saang1 hai6tung2: life-saving system; gau3saang1 life-saving, to rescue (gau3 assist, to rescue; saang1 life); hai6tung2 system (hai6 system; tung2 system)
• gu3zoeng3: breakdown, out of order; gu3 a cause, event; zoeng3 obstruct
• gim2caa4: to check, examine; gim2 examine; caa4 check, examine
• jeong5hei3: oxygen; jeong5 oxygen; hei3 air, gas
• gung1jing3: a supply; gung1 to supply; jing3 to supply, respond
• Cantonese Chinese Tones: 1 high, flat (or falling); 2 high, rising; 3 mid, flat; 4 low, falling; 5 low, rising; 6 low, flat.
• Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin romanization: Jiu4sheng1 xi4tong3 gu4zhang4. Jian3cha2 yang3qi4 gong1ying4. "Jeo-shung yong-jur" would be 救生用具・救生用具 jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4: life-saving equipment such as life vests (yong4ju4/Cantonese jung6geoi6 appliance [yong4 to use; ju4 tool]). Thanks to a Firefly fan for the hai6tung2/xi4tong3 and jung6geoi6/yong4ju4 and their Chinese characters.

• ge5 zhen1 de5 hun2dan4!
• 個真的渾蛋！・个真的浑蛋！
• guh jun duh hwoon dahn!
• a real bastard!
• Jayne [off-screen] ("Jaynestown"), referring to Boss [Magistrate] Higgins

• ge5 zhen1 de5: a real; ge5 a, one; zhen1 de5 real, true (zhen1 real, true; de5 adjective marker)
• hun2dan4: [derogatory] bastard, scoundrel; hun2 stupid; dan4 word used in insults, [literally] egg

Related Expression(s):

• hun2dan4
• Ta1ma1 de5 hun2dan4.

• gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1shi3
• 跟猴子比丟屎・跟猴子比丢屎
• "gun HOE-tze bee DIO-se"
• "engage in a feces hurling contest with a monkey"
• Inara ("Heart of Gold"), about what the Companion house could go and do

• gen1: with
• hou2zi5: monkey; hou2 monkey; zi5 suffix to make noun two syllables
• bi3 diu1shi3: compete throwing excrement; bi3 compete, a contest; diu1 to throw; shi3 [Taiwan si3] excrement, dung
• Thanks to Firefly Chinese Translator Jenny Lynn for the si3 form and Taiwan origin.

Related Expression(s):

• gou3shi3
• hou2zi5 de5 pi4gu5!
• Liu2 kou3shui3 de5 biao3zi5 he2 hou2zi5 de5 ben4 er2zi5.
• niu2shi3
• qiang2bao4 hou2zi5 de5
• zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3 dui1

• gou3 cao4 de5
• 狗操的・狗操的
• "go tsao de" [subtitles: completely omitted]
• "dog humping"
• Jayne ("The Train Job"), about location not being Niska's rendezvous spot

• gou3 cao4 de5: [vulgar] dog-humped; gou3 dog; cao4 [vulgar] to f***; de5 relative clause marker
• 操・操 , the character for cao1 (act, do), usually gets substituted for 肏・肏 cao4, the parts of which are: enter [top] and flesh [bottom].

Related Expression(s):

• gou3shi3
• qing1wa1 cao4 de5 liu4mang2
• zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3 dui1

• Gou4 huang1tang2.
• 夠荒唐。・够荒唐。
• "Go HWONG-TONG."
• "Enough of this nonsense."
• Jayne (Serenity Movie), to self about keeping River [skipped in novelization, p. 178]

• gou4: be enough
• huang1tang2: ridiculous, exaggerated; huang1 ridiculous, absurd; tang2 exaggerated, boastful

• gou3shi3
• 1. 狗屎・狗屎
• "gos se" [Atherton sounds like go-suh; subtitles: "go-se"]
• "crap"
• Atherton Wing ("Shindig"), referring to Serenity
• 2. 狗屎・狗屎
• "gos se" [Atherton sounds like go-suh; subtitles: "go-se"]
• "crap"
• Atherton Wing ("Shindig"), repeating due to surprise at Inara's criticism of his language
• 3. 狗屎・狗屎
• "gos se" [Atherton sounds like go-suh; subtitles: "go-se"]
• "crap"
• Atherton Wing ("Shindig"), affirming the validity of his description of Serenity
• 4. 狗屎・狗屎
• "gos se" [Inara sounds like go-suh; subtitles: "go-se"]
• "crap"
• Inara ("Shindig"), on seeing Mal at the ball
• 5. 狗屎・狗屎
• "go se"
• "crap"
• Simon ("Safe" [CUT]), referring to store's decorative plates
• 6. 狗屎・狗屎
• "go se" [Pirate Captain sounds like go-suh; subtitles: "go-se"]
• "crap"
• Pirate Captain ("Out of Gas"), referring to Serenity
• 7. 狗屎・狗屎
• "go-se"
• crap [in script without English]
• Womack ("The Message" [CUT]), referring to Tracey
• 8. 狗屎・狗屎
• "go-se"
• crap
• Mal (Serenity Novelization, p. 44 [THOUGHT]), describing technical jargon
• 9. 狗屎・狗屎
• "go-se"
• crap
• Jayne (Serenity Novelization, p. 244 [THOUGHT]), about Mr. Universe's unimpressive moon

• gou3shi3: [derogatory] worthless thing, [literally] dog excrement; gou3 dog; shi3 [Taiwan si3] excrement, dung
• 5. This was replaced by the English word.
• Thanks to Firefly Chinese Translator Jenny Lynn for the si3 form and Taiwan origin.

Related Expression(s):

• gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1shi3
• gou3 cao4 de5
• niu2shi3
• zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3 dui1

• Guai1guai1 long2 de5 dong1!
• “乖乖隆的东！” [ Traditional: 乖乖隆的東！ ]
• Gwai-gwai long duh dong!
• {What the hell!}
• Wash (Serenity #2 Comic, p. 19), on seeing the graveyard of spaceships

• guai1guai1 long2 de5 dong1: idiomatic exclamation for surprise; guai1guai1 [colloquial] obedient, well-behaved, my darling [child] (guai1 well-behaved); long2 de5 glorious, abundant, prosperous; dong1 east
• According to some Chinese websites, the identically pronounced 乖乖隆地冬 is a common expression in Nanjing, China (de5 adverb marker; dong1 winter).
• Also guai1guai5: my darling [child]; Guai1guai5!: Good gracious!

• Guan3 ni3 zi4ji3 de5 shi4.
• 管你自己的事。・管你自己的事。
• "Gwan nee tzi-jee duh shr."
• "Mind your own business."
• Mal ("Our Mrs. Reynolds"), to Kaylee about his treatment of new wife

• guan3 ni3 zi4ji3 de5 shi4: Mind your own business; guan3 look after; ni3 zi4ji3 de5 your own (ni3 zi4ji3 you yourself [ni3 you; zi4ji3 oneself, one's own—zi4 oneself, one's own; ji3 oneself]; de5 possessive marker); shi4 matters, business

• gui3
• 鬼・鬼
• "guay" [subtitles: wrongly "What do" instead of What the guay do]
• "hell"
• Jayne ("Out of Gas"), invoked about Mal and Wash arguing

• gui3: ghost, demon

Related Expression(s):

• Jian4 ta1 de5 gui3!
• niao4 shi1 de5 du3gui3

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H

• He1 chu4sheng5 za2jiao1 de5 zang1huo4!
• 喝畜生雜交的髒貨！・喝畜生杂交的脏货！
• Huh choo-shung tza-jiao duh tzang-huo! [Book sounds like Huh choo-sang hmm zah-jah dah tahng-hwa.]
• "Filthy fornicators of livestock!"
• Book ("War Stories"), referring to Niska and henchmen, on seeing Mal's ear

• he1: Ah!, Oh!
• chu4sheng5 za2jiao1 de5: livestock cross-breeding; he1 exclamation of surprise, Ah!; chu4sheng5 domesticated animal, dirty swine (chu4 livestock, domesticated animal; sheng1 living beings); za2jiao1 to cross-breed (za2 mixed; jiao1 to cross, have sex); de5 relative clause marker
• zang1huo4: dirty bastard; zang1 dirty, filthy; huo4 goods, merchandise
• Thanks to Firefly Chinese Translator Jenny Lynn for confirming my suspicion that Book's throaty hmm sound isn't part of the Chinese (and for confirming the pinyin in this entry).
• The scabby dog in Camus's The Stranger is called "Salaud! [bastard, dirty swine] Charogne! [bastard, carrion]" in French, "Hun2dan4! [bastard] Zang1huo4! [dirty bastard]" in Mandarin, and "Filthy, stinking bastard!" in English. Aaah, Google . . . .

• hou2zi5 de5 pi4gu5!
• 猴子的屁股！・猴子的屁股！
• "HOE-tze duh PEE-goo!"
• monkey's butt!
• Saffron ("Trash"), addressing Mal

• hou2zi5 de5: monkey's; hou2zi5 monkey (hou2 monkey; zi5 suffix to make noun two syllables); de5 possessive marker
• pi4gu5: butt, backside; pi4 butt, backside; gu3 thigh

Related Expression(s):

• fei4fei4 de5 pi4yan3
• gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1shi3
• Liu2 kou3shui3 de5 biao3zi5 he2 hou2zi5 de5 ben4 er2zi5.
• pi4gu5
• qiang2bao4 hou2zi5 de5
• Tai4kong1 suo3you3 de5 xing1qiu2 sai1jin4 wo3 de5 pi4gu5
• Ti1 wo3 de5 pi4gu5.

• Hu2che3.
• 胡扯。・胡扯。
• "Hoo-tsuh." [Zoe sounds like Ho-tsuh.]
• "Shut up." ["as in 'get out'"]
• Zoe ("Jaynestown"), shocked at hearing from Wash that Jayne's a folk hero

• hu2che3: talk nonsense, nonsense; hu2 recklessly, foolishly; che3 to gossip, talk irresponsibly

• Hun2dan4! / Hun2dan4. / hun2dan4
• 1. 渾蛋！・浑蛋！
• "Hun dan!"
• "Damn!"
• Jayne ("Serenity, Part 2"), when he misses a shot
• 2. 渾蛋。・浑蛋。
• "Hwoon dahn."
• "Jerk."
• Jayne ("Bushwhacked"), referring to Alliance's Harken
• 3. 渾蛋・浑蛋
• "hwun dan"
• "bastard"
• Mal ("Our Mrs. Reynolds"), referring to Elder Gommen, for paying his bill with a wife
• 4. “浑蛋！” [ Traditional: 渾蛋！ ]
• Hwoon dahn!
• Bastards!
• Ott's female crew-member (Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, p. 7), referring to Mal and probably to Jayne and Zoe as well

• hun2dan4: [derogatory] bastard, scoundrel; hun2 stupid; dan4 word used in insults, [literally] egg

Related Expression(s):

• ge5 zhen1 de5 hun2dan4!
• Ta1ma1 de5 hun2dan4.

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J

(see also Zh)

• jian4huo4
• 賤貨・贱货
• "jien huo" [Zoe sounds like jien hwa.]
• "cheap floozy"
• Zoe ("Our Mrs. Reynolds"), referring to Saffron

• jian4huo4: [derogatory] hussy, slut; jian4 cheap, worthless; huo4 goods, merchandise

• Jian4 ta1 de5 gui3!
• 見他的鬼！・见他的鬼！
• "Jien tah-duh guay!"
• "Like hell!"
• Young Simon ("Safe"), about play-Independents using dinosaurs in battle

• jian4 ta1 de5 gui3: [literally] see his ghost; jian4 see, meet; ta1 de5 his (ta1 he; de5 possessive marker); gui3 ghost, demon
• Also jian4gui3: to go to hell, preposterous; Jian4gui3!: Nonsense!, You're daydreaming!, Damn it!

Related Expression(s):

• gui3
• niao4 shi1 de5 du3gui3

• jing1chang2 mei2yong4 de5
• 經常沒用的・经常没用的
• "jing-tzahng mei yong-duh" [Mal sounds like jing-tsing myung duh.]
• "consistently useless"
• Mal ("Safe"), referring to Doctor Simon

• jing1chang2: regularly, constantly; jing1 regular, constant; chang2 usually, regularly
• mei2yong4 de5: useless; mei2 negative verb-prefix; yong4 to use; de5 adjective marker

• Jing1cai3.
• 精彩・精彩
• "Jing tsai." [Wash sounds like jing-tzai.]
• "Brilliant."
• Wash ("Our Mrs. Reynolds"), referring to Saffron's sabotage rewiring

• jing1cai3: brilliant, splendid; jing1 exquisite; cai3 brilliance, splendor

• Jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4 gu4zhang4. Jian3cha2 yang3qi4 gong1ying4.
• "Jeo-shung yong-jur goo-jang. Jien-cha yong-chi gong yin [sic]."
• See: Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 jeong5hei3 gung1jing3. (G)

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K

• Kan4 wo3men5 zen3me5 si3 ba5!
• “看我们怎么死吧！” [ Traditional: 看我們怎麼死吧！ ]
• Kan wuh-mun tzun muh suh bah!
• {Let's watch how we die!}
• Wash (Serenity #2 Comic, p. 17), as prepares to topple water tower

• kan4: see, watch
• wo3men5 zen3me5 si3: how we die; wo3men5 we (wo3 I; men5 plural marker); zen3me5 how, why (zen3 how, why; me5 question marker); si3 to die
• ba5: mild-exclamation marker, let's

• Kao4! / kao4
• 1. “靠！”
• Kao!
• Goddammit!
• Mal (Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, p. 10), after Ott and Ott's crew escape
• 2. “靠”
• kao
• goddamn
• Mal (Serenity: Those Left Behind #2, p. 15), to Book referring to a tough situation

• kao4: goddamn [phonetic use, [literally] to get near, rely on]
• Phonetic replacement for 操 cao4: [vulgar] to f***.
• According to Akizuki Kumiko's [Chinese-Japanese Dictionary of Contemporary Vocabulary], Beijing-dialect speakers can use Kao4! (Goddamn!) for Cao4! (F***!) without the sexual connotation/dirtiness of Cao4! (which seems like English's similar-sound replacements Fudge! or Shoot!). See also Don's comment on KernelM's Serenity #1 translations (which got me to dig deeper into this).

• Ke3wu4 de5 lao3 bao4jun1 . . .
• 可惡的老暴君……・可恶的老暴君……
• "Kuh-ooh duh lao bao jurn..."
• "Horrible old tyrant..."
• Kaylee ("The Train Job"), referring to Mal, who had told her to get back to work

• ke3wu4 de5: wicked, abominable, damned; ke3 prefix turning verb to adjective meaning: capable of, -able/-ible; wu4 to hate, loathe; de5 adjective marker
• lao3 bao4jun1: old tyrant; lao3 old; bao4jun1 tyrant (bao4 tyrannical; jun1 monarch, lord)
• Also Ke3wu4!: Damn it!

• Kuai4 qu4 hen3 yuan3 de5 di4fang1. [CUT]
• 快去很遠的地方。・快去很远的地方。
• "KWAI chur hun-rien duh di fahng."
• "Go far away very fast."
• Simon ("Trash"), to the crude Jayne, as he hides the Tams from Saffron

• kuai4 qu4: go quickly to; kuai4 fast, quick; qu4 go to, leave
• hen3 yuan3 de5: very distant; hen3 very; yuan3 far, distant, remote; de5 adjective marker [required when adverb modifies one-syllable adjective]
• di4fang1: a place, locality; di4 place, locality; fang1 place, locality

• kuang2zhe3 de5
• 狂者的・狂者的
• "kwong-juh duh" [Wash sounds like kwing chuh duh.]
• "nuts"
• Wash ("Serenity, Part 2"), about flying without core containment

• kuang2zhe3 de5: of crazy people; kuang2zhe3 the crazy, one who is crazy (kuang2 crazy, unrestrained; zhe3 suffix for person); de5 possessive marker [modified noun is understood or generic]

Related Expression(s):

• fang4zong4 feng1kuang2 de5 jie2
• Wo3 de5 ma1 he2 ta1 de5 feng1kuang2 de5 wai4sheng5 dou1
• xiong1meng3 de5 kuang2ren2

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L

• Lan4dan4 jiang4! [CUT]
• 爛蛋醬！・烂蛋酱！
• "LAN-dan JIANG!"
• "Weak-a** sauce!"
• Mal ("Heart of Gold"), referring to his fancy drink

• lan4dan4: [literally] rotten egg; lan4 rotten, awful, mushy; dan4 egg
• jiang4: thick sauce, paste

• Lao3peng2you5, ni3 kan4 qi5lai5 hen3 you3 jing1shen5.
• 老朋友，你看起來很有精神。・老朋友，你看起来很有精神。
• "Lao pung yo, nee can chi lai hun yo jing shen."
• "You're looking wonderful, old friend."
• Inara ("Shindig"), to elderly man at ball

• lao3peng2you5: old friend; lao3 old; peng2you5 friend (peng2 friend; you3 friend)
• ni3 kan4 qi5lai5 hen3 you3 jing1shen5: you look full of energy; ni3 you [singular]; kan4 qi5lai5 look as if, when seen (kan4 to look, see; qi3lai5 verb suffix meaning: when it happens/continuing an action [qi3 begin; lai2 come]); hen3 very, much; you3 have, there is; jing1shen5 vigor, vitality (jing1 energy, spirit; shen2 energy, vitality)
• Also 精神・精神 jing1shen2: mind, spirit; jing1 energy, spirit; shen2 mind, spirit

• Lao3tian1, bu4.
• 老天，不。・老天，不。
• "Lao-tyen, boo."
• "Oh, god, no."
• Wash ("Safe"), on seeing Book's gunshot wound

• lao3tian1: Oh God!, My God!, Heavens!; lao3 honorific, [literally] old; tian1 heaven, God
• bu4: no

Related Expression(s):

• Ai1ya1. Tian1 a5 . . .
• Lao3tian1ye2.
• Tian1sha1 de5 e4mo2.
• tian1 xiao3de2
• Wo3 de5 tian1, a5.

• Lao3tian1ye2. [CUT]
• 老天爺。・老天爷。
• "Lao TYEN yeh."
• "Jesus."
• Simon ("Ariel"), on learning River's limbic system was stripped [changed to specifically her amygdala]

• lao3tian1ye2: Oh God!, My God!, Heavens!; lao3tian1 Oh God!, My God!, Heavens! (lao3 honorific, [literally] old; tian1 heaven, God); ye2 father, grandfather, old gentleman

Related Expression(s):

• Ai1ya1. Tian1 a5 . . .
• Lao3tian1, bu4.
• Tian1sha1 de5 e4mo2.
• tian1 xiao3de2
• Wo3 de5 tian1, a5.

• le4se4 / Le4se4?
• 1. 垃圾・垃圾
• "luh-suh" [subtitles: "luh-suh"]
• "garbage"
• Simon ("Safe"), referring to Serenity
• 2. 垃圾？・垃圾？
• "Luh-suh?" [subtitles: "Luh-suh?"]
• "Garbage?"
• Kaylee ("Safe"), surprised by Simon's slur against Serenity
• 3. 垃圾・垃圾
• "luh-suh" [subtitles: "luh-suh"]
• "garbage"
• Kaylee ("Safe"), refuting Simon's slur against Serenity

• le4se4: [Taiwanism] garbage, trash; le4 garbage; se4 garbage
• Standard pronunciation: la1ji1

• Liu2 kou3shui3 de5 biao3zi5 he2 hou2zi5 de5 ben4 er2zi5.
• 流口水的婊子和猴子的笨兒子。・流口水的婊子和猴子的笨儿子。
• "Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze." [sic; River sounds like Liou coe shway duh bia-tze huh hoe-tze doo bun ur-tze]
• "Stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey."
• River ("Safe"), ranted at Mal

• liu2 kou3shui3 de5 biao3zi5 he2 hou2zi5 de5: of a salivating whore and a monkey; liu2 kou3shui3 make the mouth water (liu2 to flow; kou3shui3 saliva [kou3 mouth; shui3 water]); de5 relative clause marker; biao3zi5 [derogatory] whore (biao3 prostitute; zi5 suffix to make noun two syllables); he2 and; hou2zi5 monkey (hou2 monkey; zi5 suffix to make noun two syllables); de5 possessive marker
• ben4 er2zi5: stupid son; ben4 stupid, clumsy; er2zi5 son (er2 son, child; zi5 suffix to make noun two syllables)
• This expression seems to be based on the slang biao3zi5 de5 er2zi5: You S.O.B.! ([literally] son of a whore).

Related Expression(s):

• Ben4 tian1sheng1 de5 yi1 dui1 rou4.
• gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1shi3
• hou2zi5 de5 pi4gu5!
• qiang2bao4 hou2zi5 de5
• Ta1 shi4 suo3you3 de5 di4yu4 de5 biao3zi5 de5 ma1!
• Wang2ba5dan4 de5 biao3zi5.
• yu2ben4 de5

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M

• Ma3shang4!
• 馬上！・马上！
• "Ma-Shong!" [subtitles: "ma shong"]
• "Now!"
• Mal ("Safe"), to Wash about hurrying to the infirmary

• ma3shang4: right away, at once, [literally] on horseback; ma3 horse; shang4 to mount

• mei4mei5 / Mei4mei5
• 1. 妹妹・妹妹
• "xiao meimei" [sic; Inara sounds like meimei; subtitles: "Mei-mei"]
• "little sister"
• Inara ("Serenity, Part 1"), addressing wounded Kaylee
• 2. 妹妹・妹妹
• "Mei mei" [subtitles: "Mei-mei"]
• "Little sister"
• Simon ("Safe"), addressing River
• 3. 妹妹・妹妹
• "mei-mei"
• little sister [in script without English]
• Simon ("Our Mrs. Reynolds" [DELETED SCENE ON DVD]), addressing River
• 4. 妹妹・妹妹
• "mei mei" [subtitles: "mei-mei"]
• little sister [in script without English]
• Simon ("Ariel"), addressing River
• 5. 妹妹・妹妹
• "Mei-mei" [subtitles: "Mei-mei"]
• Little sister [in script without English]
• Simon ("War Stories"), addressing River
• 6. 妹妹・妹妹
• "Mei Mei" [subtitles: "mei-mei"]
• Little Sister [in script without English]
• Nandi ("Heart of Gold"), addressing Inara

• mei4mei5: little sister, younger sister; mei4 little sister, younger sister

Related Expression(s):

• xiao3mei4mei4
• Zhu4fu2 ni3, mei4mei5.

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