Serenity (novelization)

Firefly–Serenity Chinese Pinyinary
Chinese translations with standard Hanyu Pinyin romanization and Chinese characters for Firefly the TV series and Serenity the movie and comic books

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Chinese Dialog

[Most of the Chinese that is merely described in Keith R. A. DeCandido’s Serenity (novelization) can be found in the entries for Serenity (movie).]

[Image: logo]

Zao1gao1! [#1]

Simplified/Traditional characters: 糟糕！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Damn!
Novelization Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Tzao-gao!
Possibly translated from the English: Damn it! [from “War Stories” script]
Context: Serenity (novelization) [Thought], Mal, p. 10, as skiff plummets toward him

zao1gao1

[colloquial] Damn!, What a mess!

zao1: to be ruined, [literally and figuratively] to be spoiled
gao1: cake, pudding

See also:

Zao1gao1! (“Bushwhacked,” “War Stories,” Serenity [novelization] [below])

gou3shi3 [#1]

Simplified/Traditional characters: 狗屎
Back-translation of Mandarin: crap (worthless thing)
Novelization Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): go-se [Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ: Variety of Chinese)]
Possibly translated from the English: crap [from “Shindig” script]
Context: Serenity (novelization) [Thought], Mal, p. 44, describing technical jargon

gou3shi3

[insult] [offensive] crap (a worthless thing); [literally: [offensive] dog dung]

gou3: a dog
shi3: excrement, dung

See also:

gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1 shi3 (“Heart of Gold”)
gou3shi3 (“Shindig,” “Safe” [Cut], “Out of Gas,” “The Message” [Cut], Serenity [novelization] [below])
niu2shi3 (“War Stories”)
zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3dui1 (“Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut])

dong3 le5 ma5?

Simplified characters: 懂了吗？ / Traditional characters: 懂了嗎？
Back-translation of Mandarin: Understood?
Novelization Mandarin translation (Hanyu Pinyin romanization): dong le ma? [Serenity (movie) script (phonetic for English speakers): DONG-luh-MAH?]
Translated from script English: Are we clear here? [from Serenity (movie) script]
Context: Serenity (novelization), Mal, p. 52, to Simon to end argument

dong3 le5 ma5

understood?

dong3: to understand
le5: [completion marker]
ma5: [marker for questions]

See also:

Dong3 le5 ma5? Ni3 chou2lian3, you3 mei2you3? (Serenity [movie])
dong3 ma5 (“The Train Job,” “Out of Gas,” “The Message,” “Heart of Gold”)

chou4 ma3-niao4

Simplified characters: 臭马尿 / Traditional characters: 臭馬尿
Back-translation of Mandarin: stinking horse-urine
Novelization Mandarin translation (Hanyu Pinyin romanization): chou ma niao [phonetic for English speakers: choh ma niao]
Possibly translated from the English: [Not in Firefly or Serenity scripts (see note below)]
Context: Serenity (novelization) [Thought], Jayne, p. 58, about the unimpressive moon Lilac

chou4

to be stinking, [slang] to be inferior

ma3 niao4

horse urine

ma3 de5: a horse’s
1. ma3: a horse
2. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]
niao4: urine

Note:

Origin: This phrase seems to come from the fandom. Early on, some fans translated xiong2mao1 ‘panda’ (of xiong2mao1 niao4 熊猫尿 (traditional: 熊貓尿 ): panda urine) from “Jaynestown” as chou4 ma3 ‘stinking horse’.

See also:

niao4 shi1 de5 du3gui3 (“Heart of Gold”)
xiong2mao1 niao4 (“Jaynestown”)

Bai4tuo1, an1jing4 yi1dian3!

Simplified characters: 拜托，安静一点！ / Traditional characters: 拜托，安靜一點！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Please be quiet!
Novelization Mandarin translation (Hanyu Pinyin romanization): Bai duo, an jing yidian! [sic; Serenity (movie) script (phonetic for English speakers): BAI-tuo, AN-jing-eedyen!]
Translated from script English: We will enjoy your silence now! [from Serenity (movie) script]
Context: Serenity (novelization), Professor Rao [“Teacher” in Serenity (movie) script], p. 65, to disruptive student Marvin [“Boy #2” in Serenity (movie) script]

bai4tuo1

[polite] to request (of someone); [colloquial] please I beg you, [Taiwan Mandarin] [set phrase] Give me a break!

bai4: to bow (for respect or obedience)
tuo1: to request a favor, to entrust

an1jing4 yi1dian3

to be quiet

an1jing4: to be quiet, to be peaceful
1. an1: to be calm, to be peaceful
2. jing4: to be calm, to be still
yi1dian3: a little, a bit
1. yi1 [pronounced “yi4” before a 3rd-tone syllable]: one, a
2. dian3: [classifier for small amounts]; [literally: a spot, a dot]

See also:

Bai4tuo1, an1jing4 yi1dian3! (Serenity [movie])

Ren2ci2 de5 Shang4di4, qing3 dai4 wo3 zou3

Simplified characters: 仁慈的上帝，请带我走 / Traditional characters: 仁慈的上帝，請帶我走
Back-translation of Mandarin: Merciful God, please take me away
Novelization Mandarin translation (Hanyu Pinyin romanization): Renzi de Shang Di, qing dai wa zhou [sic; Serenity (movie) script (phonetic for English speakers): RUNtse de SHANG-DEE, ching DAIwuhtzo]
Translated from script English: Merciful God please take me away [from Serenity (movie) script]
Context: Serenity (novelization), River, p. 207, upon becoming psychically overwhelmed on Miranda

ren2ci2 de5 Shang4di4

merciful God

ren2ci2 de5: to be benevolent, to be merciful
1. ren2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: compassionate
2. ci2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: compassionate, kind [adjective]
3. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]
Shang4di4: (Christian) God
1. shang4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: superior, higher
2. di4 [used only in compound words]: God, Supreme Being

qing3 dai4 wo3 zou3

please take me away

qing3: please (for requests)
dai4: take, carry
wo3: me
zou3: go away

See also:

Ren2ci2 de5 Fo2zu3… (“Our Mrs. Reynolds”)
Ren2ci2 de5 Fo2zu3, qing3 bao3you4 wo3men5… (Serenity [movie])
Ren2ci2 de5 Shang4di4, qing3 dai4 wo3 zou3 (Serenity [movie])
Shang4di4 de5 dan4! (Serenity: The Other Half)

Eto kuram na smekh! [Not Chinese]

Russian Cyrillic characters: Это курам на смех!
Back-translation of Russian: That’s ridiculous!
Script Russian translation (phonetic for English speakers): Eta kooram nah smech!
Translated from script English: [Not in Serenity (movie) script]
Context: Serenity (novelization), Simon, p. 115, used as safeword to put River to sleep

Russian

eto

that, this [demonstrative pronoun]

kuram na smekh

[idiom] ridiculous; [literally: to make the hens laugh]

kuram: for hens [dative-case plural of kuritsa: hen]
na: intended for
smekh: laughter

Notes:

Idiomatic meaning from data formerly on Cornell University’s Russian Language Program site (russian.dmll.cornell.edu/russian.web/BODY/WIN_1251/SME/SME.HTM); literal meaning from various Serenity fans and Provérbios russos, which gives the English equivalent of “it is enough to make a cat laugh.”
Speaking of the Tams and Russian, tam там is the Russian word for ‘there’.

See also:

Eto kuram na smekh! (Serenity [movie])

Wo3 xiang3 mei4 er3, mei4 xin1, bian4 shi2tou5

Simplified characters: 我想昧耳，昧心，变石头 / Traditional characters: 我想昧耳，昧心，變石頭
Back-translation of Mandarin: I want to darken my ears and heart and become a stone [see note below]
Novelization Mandarin translation (Hanyu Pinyin romanization): Wo shang mei er, mei xin, bian shi tou [Serenity (movie) script (phonetic for English speakers): WUOshang mayer, maysheen, BYEN shr-to]
Translated from script English: I will close my ears and my heart and I will be a stone [from Serenity (movie) script]
Context: Serenity (novelization), River, p. 207, continuing to pray in Chinese after breaking into English

wo3 xiang3 mei4 er3, mei4 xin1

I want to darken my ears and heart [see note below]

wo3 xiang3: I want to
1. wo3: I
2. xiang3: to wish, to want to
mei4 er3, mei4 xin1: to darken ears and heart
1. mei4 er3: to darken ear(s)
  1. mei4: to darken, to hide (something)
  2. er3: ear
2. mei4 xin1: to darken a heart [also mei4xin1: to ignore one’s conscience]
  1. mei4: to darken, to hide (something)
  2. xin1: a heart, the mind

bian4 shi2tou5

to become a stone

bian4: to become, to be transformed
shi2tou5: a stone, a rock
1. shi2: a stone, a rock
2. tou5: [noun suffix]

Note:

Another possibility: wo3 xiang3 mei2 er3 mei2 xin1 我想没耳没心 (traditional: 我想沒耳沒心 ): I want to have no ears and no heart; wo3: I; xiang3: to wish, to want to; mei2: [abbreviation] → mei2you3 没有 (traditional: 沒有 ): to have no [+NOUN], -less (mei2: not; you3: to have, there is); er3: an ear; mei2: to have no [+NOUN], -less; xin1: a heart, the mind [also mei2xin1: to be mindless]; also proposed by Chrysocome on the Serenity Oz message boards (formerly at serenitymovie.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=81&start=75)

See also:

Wo3 xiang3 mei4 er3, mei4 xin1, bian4 shi2tou5 (Serenity [movie])

Zao1gao1! [#2]

Simplified/Traditional characters: 糟糕！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Damn!
Novelization Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Tzao-gao!
Possibly translated from the English: Damn it! [from “War Stories” script]
Context: Serenity (novelization) [Thought], Mal, p. 242, when he’s stabbed

zao1gao1

[colloquial] Damn!, What a mess!

zao1: to be ruined, [literally and figuratively] to be spoiled
gao1: cake, pudding

See also:

Zao1gao1! (“Bushwhacked,” “War Stories,” Serenity [novelization] [above])

gou3shi3 [#2]

Simplified/Traditional characters: 狗屎
Back-translation of Mandarin: crap (worthless thing)
Novelization Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): go-se [Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ: Variety of Chinese)]
Possibly translated from the English: crap [from “Shindig” script]
Context: Serenity (novelization) [Thought], Jayne, p. 244, about Mr. Universe’s unimpressive moon

gou3shi3

[insult] [offensive] crap (a worthless thing); [literally: [offensive] dog dung]

gou3: a dog
shi3: excrement, dung

See also:

gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1 shi3 (“Heart of Gold”)
gou3shi3 (“Shindig,” “Safe” [Cut], “Out of Gas,” “The Message” [Cut], Serenity [novelization] [above])
niu2shi3 (“War Stories”)
zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3dui1 (“Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut])

Visible Chinese

Ning2jing4

Simplified characters: 宁静 / Traditional characters: 寧靜
Back-translation of Mandarin: Tranquil
Translated from the English: Serenity [Serenity (movie) version (“Serenity” translation comparison)]
Context: Serenity (novelization), Visible Chinese, title page, in logo

ning2jing4

to be peaceful, to be tranquil

ning2 [used only in compound words (or as a place name)]: peaceful, tranquil
jing4: to be calm, to be still

See also:

An1ning2 (Serenity: The Official Visual Companion)
Jing4 (Serenity [movie])
Jing3wei4; Ping2jing4 (Firefly Props and Merchandise)
Ning2jing4 (Serenity [movie], Serenity comic books, Serenity: The Official Visual Companion, Serenity DVD Official Site)
Ping2jing4 (“Serenity, Part 1,” “The Train Job,” “Safe,” “The Message,” Firefly Press Kit)