Serenity: The Other Half

Wo3 zhe4ge5 shen1zi5 bu4 shi4 yong4lai2 wei4 Reavers de5!

• Simplified characters: 我这个身子不是用来喂Reavers的！ / Comics Mandarin translation (traditional characters): 我這個身子不是用來喂Reavers的！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: This body of mine isn’t going to be used to feed Reavers!
• Phonetic for English speakers: Wuh juh-guh shen-tze boo-shr yong-lai way Reavers duh!
• Context: Serenity: The Other Half, Jayne, p. 1, as Reavers attack them

wo3 zhe4ge5 shen1zi5

this body of mine

1. wo3 de5: my
   1. wo3: I
   2. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]
2. zhe4ge5 shen1zi5: this body
   1. zhe4ge5: this, this one
      1. zhe4: this
      2. ge5: [general classifier for nouns]
   2. shen1zi5: a body
      1. shen1 [used only in compound words (or as a classifier for certain nouns)]: a body
      2. zi5: [suffix to make noun two syllables]

bu4 shi4 yong4lai2 wei4 Reavers de5

not to be used to feed Reavers

1. bu4 shi4: to not be
   1. bu4 [pronounced “bu2” before a 4th-tone syllable]: not
   2. shi4: to be
2. yong4lai2: for use (as), to be used for
   1. yong4: to use
   2. lai2: [verb suffix for ability or hypothetical action]
3. wei4: to feed
4. de5: [assertion marker]

bai2bai2nen4nen4 de5

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 白白嫩嫩的
• Back-translation of Mandarin: very white and delicate
• Phonetic for English speakers: bai-bai nen-nen duh
• Context: Serenity: The Other Half, Mal, p. 4, to Zoe, referring to his hide (skin)

bai2bai2nen4nen4 de5

to be very white and delicate (of skin), to be very soft and delicate (of skin)

1. bai2nen4 de5: [parts repeated for descriptive emphasis] to be white and delicate (of skin), to be soft and delicate (of skin)
   1. bai2: to be white, to be fair (of skin)
   2. nen4: to be tender (e.g., meat), to be delicate (e.g., skin)
   3. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]

Gan4

• Simplified characters: 干 / Comics Mandarin translation (traditional characters): 幹
• Back-translation of Mandarin: F***
• Phonetic for English speakers: Gan
• Context: Serenity: The Other Half [Thought], [Alliance Man], p. 6, as reflects on River’s abilities

gan4

[offensive] to f***; [literally: to do]

Shang4di4 de5 dan4!

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 上帝的蛋！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: God’s eggs!
• Phonetic for English speakers: SHANG-DEE duh dan!
• Context: Serenity: The Other Half, Jayne, p. 7, on realizing Alliance Man is dead

Shang4di4 de5 dan4

God’s eggs

1. Shang4di4 de5: God’s
   1. 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
   2. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]
2. dan4: egg [here: probably for testicles]

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