Serenity: Better Days

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

[Image: logo]

You4chou4you4ying4.

Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 又臭又硬。
Back-translation of Mandarin: Stubborn.
Phonetic for English speakers: Yo cho yo ying.
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Jayne, p. 7, as Security Drone starts shooting at him

you4chou4you4ying4

stubborn, hard-nosed

you4 [A] you4 [B]: both [A] and [B], [A] as well as [B]

you4: and, in addition

chou4: to be stinking, [slang] to be inferior
ying4: to be stubborn

Note:

The you4 construction works for adjectives, verbs, and phrases with two or more items: you4 [A] you4 [B] you4 [C]…you4 [Z]: [A] and [B] and [C]…and [Z].

fei4tie3

Simplified characters: 废铁 / Comics Mandarin translation (traditional characters): 廢鐵
Back-translation of Mandarin: scrap iron
Phonetic for English speakers: fay tyeh
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Jayne (off-screen), p. 9, referring to Security Drone

fei4tie3

scrap iron

fei4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: useless, abandoned
tie3: iron (metal)

Bi4zui3! [#1]

Simplified characters: 闭嘴！ / Comics Mandarin translation (traditional characters): 閉嘴！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Shut up!
Phonetic for English speakers: BEE-tzway!
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Jayne, p. 10, to Simon

bi4zui3

[slang] Shut up!

bi4: to shut, to close
zui3: [colloquial] a mouth

See also:

Bi4zui3. (“Serenity, Part 1,” Serenity: Better Days #2 [below])
Bi4zui3 nin2 hen3 bu4ti3tie1 de5 nan2sheng1! (“Objects in Space”)
Bi4zui3. Rong2 wo3men5 fa1cai2. (Serenity [movie])
Ni3men5 dou1 bi4zui3! (“Serenity, Part 2”)

xiao3mei4mei4 [#1]

Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 小妹妹
Back-translation of Mandarin: little sister
Phonetic for English speakers: shao may-may
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Wash, p. 19, referring to Kaylee

xiao3mei4mei4

younger sister, young girl

xiao3: to be junior
mei4 [used only in compound words]: [repeated] little sister, younger sister

Notes:

Unlike in mei4mei5, the repeated mei in xiao3mei4mei4 retains 4th tone instead of changing to neutral 5th tone.

Also:

Mandarin Words for Siblings
Relation / Gender	Female	Male
Older Sibling	jie3jie5 姐姐 older sister	ge1ge5 哥哥 older brother
Younger Sibling	mei4mei5 妹妹 younger sister	di4di5 弟弟 younger brother

See also:

mei4mei5 (“Serenity, Part 1,” “Safe,” “Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut], “Ariel,” “War Stories,” “Heart of Gold”)
xiao3mei4mei4 (“Serenity, Part 2,” Serenity: Better Days #2 [below])
Zhu4fu2 ni3, mei4mei5. (“Heart of Gold”)

xiao3mei4mei4 [#2]

Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 小妹妹
Back-translation of Mandarin: little sister
Phonetic for English speakers: shao may-may
Context: Serenity: Better Days #2, Simon, p. 11, referring to River

xiao3mei4mei4

younger sister, young girl

xiao3: to be junior
mei4 [used only in compound words]: [repeated] little sister, younger sister

Notes:

Unlike in mei4mei5, the repeated mei in xiao3mei4mei4 retains 4th tone instead of changing to neutral 5th tone.

Also:

Mandarin Words for Siblings
Relation / Gender	Female	Male
Older Sibling	jie3jie5 姐姐 older sister	ge1ge5 哥哥 older brother
Younger Sibling	mei4mei5 妹妹 younger sister	di4di5 弟弟 younger brother

See also:

mei4mei5 (“Serenity, Part 1,” “Safe,” “Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut], “Ariel,” “War Stories,” “Heart of Gold”)
xiao3mei4mei4 (“Serenity, Part 2,” Serenity: Better Days #2 [above])
Zhu4fu2 ni3, mei4mei5. (“Heart of Gold”)

Bi4zui3! [#2]

Simplified characters: 闭嘴！ / Comics Mandarin translation (traditional characters): 閉嘴！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Shut up!
Phonetic for English speakers: BEE-tzway!
Context: Serenity: Better Days #2, [Robber], p. 17, to restaurant patrons

bi4zui3

[slang] Shut up!

bi4: to shut, to close
zui3: [colloquial] a mouth

See also:

Bi4zui3. (“Serenity, Part 1,” Serenity: Better Days #1 [above])
Bi4zui3 nin2 hen3 bu4ti3tie1 de5 nan2sheng1! (“Objects in Space”)
Bi4zui3. Rong2 wo3men5 fa1cai2. (Serenity [movie])
Ni3men5 dou1 bi4zui3! (“Serenity, Part 2”)

shen2jing1bing4

Simplified characters: 神经病 / Comics Mandarin translation (traditional characters): 神經病
Back-translation of Mandarin: insanity
Phonetic for English speakers: shen jing bing
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Wash, p. 4, referring to Zoe’s plan

shen2jing1bing4

insanity, mental illness; [colloquial] a crazy person

shen2jing1: a nerve, neuro-, nervous (system, etc.)
1. shen2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a nerve
2. jing1: [traditional Chinese medicine] channels
bing4: an illness, a disease

Note:

Also: Shen2jing1bing4!: [set phrase] (You’re) crazy!

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: Better Days #1–3, Visible Chinese, inside-front cover [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 [novelization], 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)

Mi4ma3 Zheng4que4

Simplified characters: 密码正确 / Traditional characters: 密碼正確
Back-translation of Mandarin: Secret Code Is Correct
Translated from the English: Security Key Accepted [from p. 4 of script at Dark Horse Comics]
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Visible Chinese, p. 4, on readout of Zoe’s garage-door opener

mi4ma3

a secret code

mi4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: secret [adjective]
ma3: a code

zheng4que4

to be right, to be correct

zheng4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: correct [adjective]
que4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: authentic, accurate

Zi4dong4 Dao3hang2

Simplified characters: 自动导航 / Traditional characters: 自動導航
Back-translation of Mandarin: Autopilot
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Visible Chinese, p. 8, above switch

zi4dong4 dao3hang2

automatic navigation, autopilot

zi4dong4: automatic [+NOUN]
1. zi4: self-
2. dong4: to move
dao3hang2: guided navigation
1. dao3 [used only in compound words]: to guide
2. hang2 [used only in compound words]: to navigate

Bukkyou [Not Chinese]

Japanese characters: 仏教
Back-translation of Japanese: Buddhism
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Visible Chinese, p. 20, on wall-hanging in temple

Japanese

Bukkyou

Buddhism [loanword from Chinese (see note below)]

Butsu: [abbreviation] →
Budda (or Butsuda) 仏陀 : Buddha [loanword from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]
1. Butsu: Buddha
2. da [used only in compound words]: [phonetically used Japanese character]; [literally: slanting]
kyou [used only in compound words]: religion

Notes:

Chinese loanwords in Japanese: More than 1,500 years ago literate Japanese people wrote in Chinese before eventually translating Japanese words into the Chinese characters for Chinese words with similar meanings as well as borrowing many abstract and religious words from Chinese.

The Bukkyou in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) is Fo2jiao4 佛教 : Buddhism; Fo2: [abbreviation] → Fo2tuo2 佛陀 : [Buddhism] Buddha [loanword; transliteration for Buddha: [Sanskrit] The Awakened One] (Fo2: [phonetically used Chinese character] [now only refers to Buddha/Buddhism]; tuo2 [used only in compound words]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: a steep bank]); jiao4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: religion.

The Chinese characters for Sanskrit Buddha were used phonetically in Chinese not for Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) Fo2tuo2 (“fuo-tuo”) but for an older pronunciation like “biuət-da.” For reconstructed Middle Chinese (220–960 CE) pronunciations of the syllables of Fo2tuo2, see Bernhard Karlgren, Analytic Dictionary of Chinese and Sino-Japanese (1923; reprint, New York: Dover, 1991), entry nos. 47, 1011.
In Japan the character 佛 was simplified to 仏, but in China the simplified characters still use 佛.

Hakken [Not Chinese]

Japanese characters: 発見
Back-translation of Japanese: Discovery
Context: Serenity: Better Days #1, Visible Chinese, p. 21, on wall-hanging in temple as monk enters

Japanese

hakken

a discovery [loanword from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]

hatsu [used only in compound words]: to emit
ken [used only in compound words]: to see

Notes:

Chinese loanwords in Japanese: More than 1,500 years ago literate Japanese people wrote in Chinese before eventually translating Japanese words into the Chinese characters for Chinese words with similar meanings as well as borrowing many abstract and religious words from Chinese.

The hakken in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) is fa1xian4 发现 (traditional: 發現 ) or 发见 (traditional: 發見 ): to discover, a discovery; fa1: to discover; xian4: to show, to be revealed.
In Japan the character 發 was simplified to 発, but in China 發 was simplified to 发. Also, in China the character 見 was simplified to 见, but Japan still uses 見.

Tong2meng2

Simplified/Traditional characters: 同盟
Back-translation of Mandarin: Alliance
Translated from the English: [(Not shown) Alliance (from Firefly Press Kit star map)]
Context: Serenity: Better Days #2 & #3, Visible Chinese, front cover, in logo on money sacks

tong2meng2

an alliance

tong2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: together, in common
meng2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an alliance

See also:

Jing3bao4; Dai4bu3zheng4; Tong2meng2 (“Objects in Space”)
Tong2meng2 (“Serenity, Part 1”; “The Train Job”; “Bushwhacked”; “Safe”; Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One; Firefly Press Kit)
Tong2meng2 Gong1gong4 Cai2chan3 (Firefly Press Kit)

Qian2; An1fen4shou3ji3

Simplified characters: 钱、安分守己 / Traditional characters: 錢、安分守己
Back-translation of Mandarin: Money; Law-abiding
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Visible Chinese, front cover, on money sacks

qian2

money, cash

an1fen4shou3ji3

[set phrase] to be law-abiding, to be mindful of one’s place / to be content to stay within one’s social position

an1fen4: to be law-abiding, to be mindful of one’s place / to be content to stay within one’s social position
1. an1: to be peaceful, to be tranquil
2. fen4 [used only in compound words]: duty, within one’s social position
shou3: to maintain (some noble quality), to abide by
ji3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: oneself

Note:

Also, less commonly, in a different order: shou3ji3an1fen4 守己安分

Mise; Sei Hon Shi [Not Chinese]

Japanese characters: 店・声本使
Back-translation of Japanese: Store; [decorative gibberish]
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Visible Chinese, p. 6, on sign at upper left of shopping arcade

Japanese ↓

mise

a store, a shop [see Note 1 below]

Japanese characters used as decorative gibberish ↓

sei

[used only in compound words]: a voice, a sound [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 2 below)]

hon

a basis, a book [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 2 below)]

shi

[used only in compound words]: to use [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 2 below)]

Notes:

Japanese character: If you have Chinese and Japanese fonts installed, you can see that the Japanese form of the character 店 as shown in the comic book has a vertical top stroke not a diagonal one like the Chinese form 店 dian4: a store, a shop.
Chinese loanwords in Japanese: More than 1,500 years ago literate Japanese people wrote in Chinese before eventually translating Japanese words into the Chinese characters for Chinese words with similar meanings as well as borrowing many abstract and religious words from Chinese.

The sei, hon, and shi in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) are, respectively:
- sheng1 声 (traditional: 聲 ): a sound, a voice
- ben3 本 : a basis, a book
- shi3 使 : to use
Despite the ‘voice, sound’ and ‘book’ above, the Japanese word for ‘audiobook’ is the transliteration oodiobukku オーディオブック or oodiobukku CD オーディオブックCD.

Ai Gou Shi Kou So [Not Chinese]

Japanese characters: 愛合指交組
Back-translation of Japanese: [decorative gibberish]
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Visible Chinese, p. 6, on sign at left of shopping arcade

Japanese characters used as decorative gibberish

ai

love [noun] [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]

gou

[for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to combine, to suit [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]

shi

[used only in compound words]: a finger, to point [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]

kou

[for this meaning, used only in compound words]: friendly relations, to exchange [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]

so

[used only in compound words]: to organize, to unite [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 1 below)]

Notes:

Chinese loanwords in Japanese: More than 1,500 years ago literate Japanese people wrote in Chinese before eventually translating Japanese words into the Chinese characters for Chinese words with similar meanings as well as borrowing many abstract and religious words from Chinese.

The ai, gou, shi, kou, and so in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) are, respectively:
- ai4 爱 (traditional: 愛 ): love [noun], to love
- he2 合 : to combine, to suit
- zhi3 指 : to point, [for this meaning, used only in compound words] a finger
- jiao1 交 : friendship, to intersect
- zu3 组 (traditional: 組 ): a group, a section
In China the characters 愛 and 組 were simplified to 爱 and 组, but Japan still uses 愛 and the slightly different 組.

Kurosawa Akira; Hi [Not Chinese]

Japanese characters: 黒沢明・日
Back-translation of Japanese: Akira Kurosawa; Day
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Visible Chinese, p. 6, on sign in background of shopping arcade, with tiny, unreadable Japanese hiragana characters

Japanese

Kurosawa Akira

[a Japanese proper name in Japanese name order] Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa (1910–1998)

Kurosawa: [Japanese family name]
1. kuro: [literally: black]
2. sawa: [literally: a marsh, a swamp]
Akira: [Japanese boys’ name; literally: akiraka 明らか : clear (understandable), bright (not dim)]

hi

a day

Note:

The characters for Akira Kurosawa’s name come from centuries-old uses of Chinese characters for native Japanese words. The native Japanese words have similar meanings to the Chinese words that the characters represented, but the Japanese words have histories and pronunciations unrelated to the Chinese words. The Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) pronunciation of the name is Hei1ze2 Ming2 黑泽明 (traditional: 黑澤明 ); hei1: [literally: to be black]; ze2 [literally: [used only in compound words]: a marsh]; ming2: [literally: clearness, brightness].

When Akira Kurosawa was named, the character for sawa ( 沢 ) was the more complicated 澤 (full name: 黒澤明 ). In Japan the character 澤 was simplified to 沢, but in China 澤 was simplified to 泽. In Japan, before Kurosawa was named, 黑 had been simplified to 黒, but China’s simplified characters still use 黑.

Roku [Not Chinese]

Japanese characters: 六
Back-translation of Japanese: Six
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Visible Chinese, p. 6, on monitor at far right of shopping arcade

Japanese

roku

six [borrowing from Chinese (see note below)]

Note:

Chinese loanwords in Japanese: More than 1,500 years ago literate Japanese people wrote in Chinese before eventually translating Japanese words into the Chinese characters for Chinese words with similar meanings as well as borrowing many abstract and religious words from Chinese.

The roku in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) is liu4 六 : six. If you have Chinese and Japanese fonts installed, you can see that the Japanese form of the character as shown in the comic book has a vertical top stroke not a diagonal one like the Chinese form.

[?Karyuuniku] [Not Chinese; also see Note 1 below]

Japanese characters: 夏竜肉
Back-translation of Japanese: [name of a real-world or fictional style of meat]
Context: Serenity: Better Days #3, Visible Chinese, p. 9, written in old-fashioned right-to-left style on large light fixture in restaurant

Japanese

Karyuuniku [see Note 1 below]

[name of a real-world or fictional style of meat]

Karyuu: [name of a real-world or fictional region or cooking style]
1. ka: [literally: the summer] [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 2 below)]
2. ryuu: [literally: a dragon] [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 2 below)]
niku: meat, flesh [borrowing from Chinese (see Note 2 below)]

Notes:

Pronunciation of first two characters: According to the collaborative Baidu Encyclopedia, in Mandarin 夏龙 Xia4long2 (traditional: 夏龍 ) can refer to a Qing era (1644–1911) people of the Songjiang area near Shanghai, China (page in Mandarin). If that is the source for the Japanese characters 夏竜, then the Japanese pronunciation might instead mimic the Chinese, i.e. Sharon to approximate Xialong instead of Karyuu, the pronunciation for the parts of which came from a different area of China than Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) and have also evolved independently over the centuries.

Alternately, the Japanese characters 夏竜 could be representing the native Japanese words for ‘summer’ and ‘dragon’, which would make this Natsutatsu.
Chinese loanwords in Japanese: More than 1,500 years ago literate Japanese people wrote in Chinese before eventually translating Japanese words into the Chinese characters for Chinese words with similar meanings as well as borrowing many abstract and religious words from Chinese.

The ka, ryuu, and niku in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) are, respectively:
- xia4 夏 [used only in compound words (or as a place/dynasty/family name)]: the summer
- long2 龙 (traditional: 龍 ): a dragon
- rou4 肉 : meat, flesh
In Japan the character 龍 has been simplified to 竜, but in China 龍 has been simplified to 龙.