“Jaynestown”

Zhe4 shi4 shen2me5 lan4dong1xi5!?

• Simplified characters: 这是什么烂东西！？ / Traditional characters: 這是什麼爛東西！？
• Back-translation of Mandarin: What is this trash!?
• Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Je shr shuh muh lan dong shi!?
• Translated from script English: What is this garbage!?
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Wash, referring to Mudder’s Milk

zhe4 shi4 shen2me5

what is this?

1. zhe4: this
2. shi4: to be
3. shen2me5 [usually pronounced “she2me5”]: what?
   1. shen2 [used only in the compound word shen2me5]
   2. me5: [suffix for question words]

lan4dong1xi5

trash [noun], junk [noun]

1. lan4: to be messy, to be dissolute
2. dong1xi5: a thing, a creature
   1. dong1: east
   2. xi1: west

Ye1su1, ta1ma1 de5—

• Simplified characters: 耶稣，他妈的—— / Traditional characters: 耶穌，他媽的——
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Jesus-damn-- (Jesús-damn--)
• Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Yeh-soo, ta ma duh --
• Translated from script English: Hay-soose-mother-of-jumped-up -- [Jesús-mother-of-jumped-up --]
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Jayne, as Hero of Canton song starts

Ye1su1

Jesus [loanword; transliteration perhaps for Iesus: [Latin] Jesus; Spanish Jesús pronounced like script’s Hay-soose]

1. Ye1 [used only in compound-word names]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
2. su1 [used only in compound words]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: to revive]

ta1ma1 de5

[offensive] damn/damned [intensifier], f***ing [intensifier]; [literally: his mother’s]

1. ta1ma1: [literally: his mother]
   1. ta1 [de5]: his
      1. ta1: he
      2. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]
   2. ma1: [colloquial] a mom, a mother
2. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]

xiong2mao1 niao4

• Simplified characters: 熊猫尿 / Traditional characters: 熊貓尿
• Back-translation of Mandarin: panda urine
• Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): shiong mao niao
• Translated from script English: panda urine
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Bartender (of the Canton factory settlement), about Mudder’s Milk being unworthy of the Hero

xiong2mao1 [de5]

panda’s, of a panda

1. xiong2mao1: a panda
   1. xiong2: a bear
   2. mao1: a cat
2. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]

niao4

urine

ge5 zhen1 de5 hun2dan4!

• Simplified characters: 个真的浑蛋！ / Traditional characters: 個真的渾蛋！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: a real bastard!
• Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): [(Not in script) guh jun duh hwoon dahn!]
• Translated from script English: [Not in script]
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Jayne (off-screen), referring to Boss (Magistrate) Higgins

ge5 zhen1 de5

a real

1. ge5: [general classifier for nouns]
2. zhen1 de5: to be real, to be true
   1. zhen1: to be real, to be true
   2. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]

hun2dan4

[insult] [offensive] a scoundrel, a bastard (nonliteral)

1. hun2: to be stupid, to be foolish
2. dan4: [word used in insults of people]; [literally: an egg]

Hu2che3.

• Simplified/Traditional characters: 胡扯。
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Nonsense.
• Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Hoo-tsuh. [Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ: Variety of Chinese)]
• Translated from script English: Shut up. [as in 'get out' (see Note 1 below)]
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Zoe, shocked at hearing from Wash that Jayne is a folk hero

hu2che3

to talk nonsense, nonsense

1. hu2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: recklessly
2. che3: to gossip, to talk irresponsibly

Gu1yang2zhong1 de5 gu1yang2.

• Simplified/Traditional characters: 孤羊中的孤羊。
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Orphaned goats among orphaned goats.
• Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Goo yang jong duh goo yang.
• Translated from script English: Motherless goats of all motherless goats.
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Wash, upon noticing land-lock

gu1yang2zhong1 de5

among orphaned goats

1. gu1yang2: an orphaned goat
   1. gu1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: orphaned
   2. yang2: a sheep, a goat
2. zhong1: [suffix] among
3. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]

gu1yang2

an orphaned goat

1. gu1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: orphaned
2. yang2: a sheep, a goat

Neng2

• Simplified/Traditional characters: 能
• Back-translation of Mandarin: [name of a fictional brand of whiskey]
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Visible Chinese, in red on bottle of the best whiskey in th' house in Canton bar, somewhat visible after bartender knocks Mudder’s Milk from Jayne’s hand and pulls this out

Neng2

[name of a fictional brand of whiskey] [for this meaning, Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] →
neng2li4 能力 : an ability

1. neng2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an ability, a capability
2. li4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an ability

Ping2

• Simplified/Traditional characters: 平 [style with the bottoms of the two short strokes angled away from the midline instead of toward it: ]
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Calm
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Visible Chinese, on candle Inara lights before making tea

ping2

[for this meaning, Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] →
ping2jing4 平静 (traditional: 平靜 ): to be quiet (calm), to be tranquil

1. ping2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: calm, peaceful
2. jing4: to be calm, to be still

Dao4

• Simplified/Traditional characters: 道
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Tao
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Visible Chinese, tattoo on right shoulder of prod as he walks to foreman before Jayne’s speech

dao4

[for this meaning, used only in compound words]: Taoism/Daoism

Wan2nao4

• Simplified characters: 玩闹 / Traditional characters: 玩鬧
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Troublemaker
• Context: “Jaynestown,” Visible Chinese, on Jayne’s T-shirt (Jayne T-shirt list) with picture of pistol, visible during his speech

wan2nao4

[colloquial] a troublemaker, a rascal, to run wild [see note below]

1. wan2: to play, to have fun
2. nao4: to make noise, to stir up trouble