Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One

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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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Yi4ren2; Bo1li5gui4

yi4ren2

an artist, an artisan

  1. yi4 [used only in compound words]: art, craftsmanship
  2. ren2: a person

bo1li5gui4

a glass cabinet

  1. bo1li5: glass (the substance) [loanword; transliteration for the first two syllables of phalika: [Pali] crystal, from sphatika [Sanskrit]: crystal (see note below)]
    1. bo1 [used only in the compound word bo1li5]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
    2. li2 [used only in the compound words bo1li5 ‘glass’ and liu2li5 ‘colored glaze’, ‘glass’]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
  2. gui4 [used only in compound words]: a cabinet

Note:

  • Source: For the histories of the words bo1li5 and liu2li5 (below), see Victor Mair, “Glass Rabbit” (blog post on Language Log, February 2, 2011), paragraphs 5–8. The sixth visible character on the poster might be liu2 琉, the beginning of liu2li5 琉璃 : colored glaze, glass (the substance) [loanword; transliteration for the middle two syllables veruliya: [Prakrit] colored glaze, from vaidurya: [Sanskrit] colored glaze]; liu2: precious stone; li2 [used only in the compound words bo1li5 ‘glass’ and liu2li5 ‘colored glaze’, ‘glass’]: [phonetically used Chinese character].

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Da4 Qing1 Guo2 Ci2xi3 Huang2tai4hou4

Da4 Qing1 guo2 Ci2xi3 huang2tai4hou4

Empress Dowager Ci Xi of the Great Qing dynasty

  1. Da4 Qing1 guo2: the Great Qing dynasty (1644–1911) [Manchu: Daicing gurun (see Note 1 below)]
    1. Da4 Qing1: the Great Qing dynasty
      1. da4: to be esteemed
      2. Qing1: Manchu (Qing) dynasty; [literally: to be pure, to be clarified/clear]
    2. guo2: a country, a nation
  2. Ci2xi3 huang2tai4hou4: Empress Dowager Ci Xi (1835–1908) [regent for two emperors: 1861–1908 (see Note 2 below)]
    1. Ci2xi3: Ci Xi
      1. ci2: [written] a mother
      2. xi3 [used only in compound words]: good luck
    2. huang2tai4hou4: an empress dowager (widow of emperor)
      1. huang2 [used only in compound words]: an emperor, a sovereign
      2. tai4hou4: an empress dowager (widow of emperor)
        1. tai4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: great, grand
        2. hou4: a queen, an empress

Notes:

  1. Qing dynasty: Mandarin Da4 Qing1 guo2—or, more commonly, Da4 Qing1—in Manchu is Daicing gurun

    [Image: Manchu alphabet words]

    [image Manchu letters top to bottom, words left to right; image based on the (fully vertical) output of the Anaku Manchu Script Creator]: the Great Qing dynasty; daicing [Manchu characters used phonetically as a transliteration for the Chinese reading pronunciation or the now old-fashioned form Dai4 Qing1, or oppositely the Chinese characters might have been used phonetically as a transliteration for daicing: [Manchu] warrior (see quote below)]; gurun: a nation (a country or a people) [here: a dynasty].

    The Manchus ruled China as the Qing dynasty (Da4 Qing1). According to Mark C. Elliott,

    “Da Qing” means “great pure” in Chinese, but the Manchu name daicing (from Mongolian daicin) means “warrior.” Daicing gurun—literally, “warrior nation”—may well have been a pun understandable only to Manchu and Mongol speakers, though to [his] knowledge no firm link between this word [daicing], common in personal names at the time, and the new name of the Manchu state [Da Qing] was ever made.

    (Mark C. Elliott, The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China [Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001], 402–403 n. 118; emphasis added)

  2. Empress dowager: The terms huang2tai4hou4 and Ci2xi3 huang2tai4hou4 are usually just tai4hou4 ‘empress dowager’ and Ci2xi3 tai4hou4 ‘Empress Dowager Ci Xi’, respectively.
  3. Reverse side of medal: [not visible] textless image of a dragon
  4. More on Chinese coins: Chinese Coins on Gary Ashkenazy’s Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins site
  5. Also:
    • chao2dai4 朝代 : a dynasty; chao2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty; dai4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty
    • Qing1chao2 清朝 : Qing dynasty; Qing1: Manchu (Qing) dynasty; [literally: to be pure, to be clarified/clear]; chao2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty
    • Qing1dai4 清代 : Qing dynasty; Qing1: Manchu (Qing) dynasty; [literally: to be pure, to be clarified/clear]; dai4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty

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Guang1xu4 Yuan2bao3; Ku4ping2 Qi1 Qian2 Er4 Fen1

Guang1xu4 yuan2bao3

Guangxu era silver coin [for top line of coin, see Note 1 below; for reverse side of coin, see Notes 2 and 3 below]

  1. Guang1xu4: reign name (1875–1908) of China’s Guangxu emperor, named Zaitian (1871–1908; Zai3tian2 载湉 (traditional: 載湉 ): zai3: to fill; tian2: [Literary Chinese] = tian2tian2 湉湉 : [vernacular Mandarin] [written] tranquil
    1. guang1: glory, glorious
    2. xu4 [used only in compound words]: ancestral heritage
  2. yuan2bao3: [traditional] a coin, a gold/silver ingot once used as money
    1. yuan2: a yuan, [classifier for Chinese monetary amounts], [Chinese monetary unit]
    2. bao3: a coin

ku4ping2 qi1 qian2 er4 fen1

(imperial) treasury standard (scale); seven mace and two candareens (0.72 Chinese ounces [of silver] [see Note 3 below])

  1. ku4ping2: [traditional] a treasury standard, a treasury scale
    1. ku4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a treasury
    2. ping2: a scale (for silver), to weigh on a balance and pay
  2. qi1 qian2 er4 fen1: seven mace and two candareens (0.72 Chinese dry ounces [of silver] [see Note 3 below])
    1. qi1 qian2: seven mace
      1. qi1: seven
      2. qian2: a mace / [classifier for 0.1 tael (Chinese dry ounce)]
    2. er4 fen1: two candareens
      1. er4: two
      2. fen1: a candareen / [classifier for 0.01 tael (Chinese dry ounce)], a fen / [classifier for 0.01 modern Chinese yuan]

Notes:

  1. Top of obverse side of coin: [unreadable] Chinese province or region of minting, e.g.: Si4chuan1 sheng3 zao4 四川省造 : made in Sichuan/Szechuan province; Si4chuan1: Sichuan/Szechuan (si4: four; chuan1 [used only in compound words]: a river); sheng3: a province; zao4: to make
  2. Top of reverse side of coin: [not visible] romanization (pre–Hanyu Pinyin system) of Chinese province or region of minting, e.g.: Szechuen province not Szechuan nor the current Hanyu Pinyin form Sichuan

  3. Bottom of reverse side of coin: [visible on other pictured coins] 7 Mace and 2 Candareens

    Mace and candareens refer to the old weight of metal money. 100 candareens (fen1) = 10 mace (qian2) = 1 tael, a Chinese dry ounce (liang3 两 [traditional: 兩 ]). They are all Malay-derived words used by Westerners in China and other parts of Asia. Tael is pronounced like and sometimes spelled like the English word tale.

    Here’s the relationship of weight and money in China in the late Qing era (early 20th century):

    • Weight: The pure silver in one imperial treasury standard tael weighed 575.82 grains (see, e.g., The New International Year Book: A Compendium of the World’s Progress for the Year 1909, 1910 edition, s.v. [sub verbo ‘under the word’] “Chinese Empire” [“Money” section, Google Books: The New International Year Book, pp. 160–161] and The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, 1914 revised and enlarged edition, s.v. [sub verbo ‘under the word’] “Tael” [vol. 9, Google Books: The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, p. 6156].
    • Money: The silver in a one-yuan coin was set to weigh 0.72 tael, or, as written on the coins, 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (72 candareens). At 575.82 grains to the tael, the yuan of 0.72 tael weighed about 414.59 grains, 0.95 avoirdupois ounces, 0.86 troy ounces, and 26.87 grams. Note that the imperial treasury standard tael was not the only tael. In various parts of China the tael was weighed on balances with slightly different standard counterweights and had different levels of silver purity (fineness). International trade in China was very complicated.

    Here are the current weight values and money terms (and non-relationship of weight and money) in modern China:

    • Weight: The Chinese dry ounce, tael, is now based on the metric system. A tael weighs exactly 50 grams, about 771.62 grains. (1 avoirdupois ounce is about 28.35 grams and exactly 437.5 grains.) A mace (qian2) is thus 5 g, and a candareen (fen1) is 0.5 g / 500 mg.
    • Money: The modern yuan has no relation to tael, and there are no mace (qian2) but rather 10 jiao (jiao3 角 ) in a yuan. There are also no candareens but rather 100 fen (still called fen1), not the 72 candareens (fen1) of the late Qing era.

    More on tael and yuan in the two tables below:

    Values of One Tael (Chinese Dry Ounce)
    Era / MeasureGrains
    (gr)    		Avoirdupois Ounces
    (oz avdp)    		Troy Ounces
    (oz t)    		Grams
    (g)

    Note: Grains in avoirdupois weight equal grains in troy weight. But for weighing precious metals in the West, troy ounces not avoirdupois ounces are used.

    Conversions:

    • 1 gr (avdp) = exactly 1 gr (t)
    • 1 oz avdp = exactly 437.5 gr
    • 1 oz t = exactly 480 gr
    • 1 g = approximately 15.432 gr
    • aApproximate value from official weight of 575.82 grains
    • bApproximate value from official weight of 50 grams

    (Qing Era) Treasury Standard

    Ku4ping2
    库平 (traditional: 庫平 )

    		575.82 gr
    (official)    		1.32 oz avdpa1.20 oz ta37.31 ga

    People’s Republic of China

    Zhong1hua2 Ren2min2 Gong4he2guo2
    中华人民共和国 (traditional: 中華人民共和國 )

    		771.62 grb1.76 oz avdpb1.61 oz tb50 g
    (official)
    Values of One Yuan (Chinese Monetary Unit)
    Era / MeasureTaelMace/JiaoCandareen/Fen

    Qing Dynasty

    Qing1chao2
    清朝

    0.72 tael

    liang3
    两 (traditional: 兩 )

    7.2 mace

    qian2
    钱 (traditional: 錢 )

    72 candareens

    fen1
    分

    People’s Republic of China

    Zhong1hua2 Ren2min2 Gong4he2guo2
    中华人民共和国 (traditional: 中華人民共和國 )

    		—

    10 jiao

    jiao3
    角

    100 fen

    fen1
    分
  4. More on Chinese coins: Chinese Coins on Gary Ashkenazy’s Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins site

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Yi1 Yuan2; Da4 Qing1 Yin2bi4, Xuan1tong3 San1 Nian2

yi1 yuan2

one yuan, one dollar

  1. yi1 [pronounced “yi4” before a 2nd-tone syllable]: one [anti-fraud numeral (see Note 1 below)]
  2. yuan2: a yuan, [classifier for Chinese monetary amounts], [Chinese monetary unit], a dollar

Da4 Qing1 yin2bi4

Great Qing dynasty silver coin

  1. Da4 Qing1: the Great Qing dynasty (1644–1911) [Manchu: Daicing gurun (see Note 2 below)]
    1. da4: to be esteemed
    2. Qing1: Manchu (Qing) dynasty; [literally: to be pure, to be clarified/clear]
  2. yin2bi4: a silver coin, silver currency
    1. yin2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: money-related; [literally: silver]
    2. bi4 [used only in compound words]: money, currency, coins

Xuan1tong3 San1 Nian2

the third year [1911] of the Xuantong era [for top line of coin, see Note 3 below]

  1. Xuan1tong3: reign name (1909–1911, 1917) of China’s Xuantong emperor (the last emperor of China), named Pu Yi (1906–1967; Pu3 Yi2 溥仪 (traditional: 溥儀 ): pu3 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: vast, extensive; yi2 [used only in compound words]: to admire)
    1. xuan1 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: to proclaim
    2. tong3: together
  2. san1 nian2: year 3, the third year
    1. san1: three
    2. nian2: a year

Notes:

  1. Anti-fraud numerals: Chinese characters for numerals up to one thousand are simple, so they’re easy to alter into a different character for fraud (e.g., changing 一 ‘one’ to 十 ‘ten’). Because until the 20th century there was no common way of writing a word in Latin-alphabet letters or other spelling (e.g., yi1 ‘one’ vs. shi2 ‘ten’), people use more complex numeral-characters in banking and finance to prevent fraud, as the following table shows:
    Chinese Numerals
    Type / Value0123456789101001000
    • aAlso used as a regular numeral
    • bTraditional characters:
      • er4 贰 (traditional: 貳 )
      • san1 叁 (traditional: 叄 )
      • liu4 陆 (traditional: 陸 )
    Regular Numeral〇一二三四五六七八九十百千
    Anti-fraud Numeral零a壹贰b叁b 肆伍陆b柒捌玖拾佰仟
    Hanyu Pinyin romanizationling2yi1er4san1si4wu3liu4qi1ba1jiu3shi2bai3qian1

  2. Qing dynasty: Mandarin Da4 Qing1 guo2—or, more commonly, Da4 Qing1—in Manchu is Daicing gurun

    [Image: Manchu alphabet words]

    [image Manchu letters top to bottom, words left to right; image based on the (fully vertical) output of the Anaku Manchu Script Creator]: the Great Qing dynasty; daicing [Manchu characters used phonetically as a transliteration for the Chinese reading pronunciation or the now old-fashioned form Dai4 Qing1, or oppositely the Chinese characters might have been used phonetically as a transliteration for daicing: [Manchu] warrior (see quote below)]; gurun: a nation (a country or a people) [here: a dynasty].

    The Manchus ruled China as the Qing dynasty (Da4 Qing1). According to Mark C. Elliott,

    “Da Qing” means “great pure” in Chinese, but the Manchu name daicing (from Mongolian daicin) means “warrior.” Daicing gurun—literally, “warrior nation”—may well have been a pun understandable only to Manchu and Mongol speakers, though to [his] knowledge no firm link between this word [daicing], common in personal names at the time, and the new name of the Manchu state [Da Qing] was ever made.

    (Mark C. Elliott, The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China [Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001], 402–403 n. 118; emphasis added)

  3. Top of obverse side of coin: Manchu translation of Chinese at bottom (Xuan1tong3 san1 nian2 宣统三年 [traditional: 宣統三年 ]): Gehungge Yoso i ilaci aniya

    [Image: Manchu alphabet words]

    [image Manchu letters top to bottom, words left to right; image based on the (fully vertical) output of the Anaku Manchu Script Creator]: (in) the third year [1911] of the Xuantong era; Gehungge Yoso i: of the Xuantong era (Gehungge Yoso: the Xuantong era [gehungge: clear [adjective form of the noun gehun: clarity]; yoso: a way, a principle]; i: [possessive (genitive) marker], ’s, of); ilaci aniya: (in) the third year (ilaci: third [ordinal form of ilan: three]; aniya: a year).

  4. More on Chinese coins: Chinese Coins on Gary Ashkenazy’s Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins site
  5. Also:
    • chao2dai4 朝代 : a dynasty; chao2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty; dai4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty
    • Qing1chao2 清朝 : Qing dynasty; Qing1: Manchu (Qing) dynasty; [literally: to be pure, to be clarified/clear]; chao2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty
    • Qing1dai4 清代 : Qing dynasty; Qing1: Manchu (Qing) dynasty; [literally: to be pure, to be clarified/clear]; dai4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a dynasty

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Yi1 Yuan2

yi1 yuan2

one yuan, one dollar [for reverse side of coin, see Note 1 below]

  1. yi1 [pronounced “yi4” before a 2nd-tone syllable]: one [anti-fraud numeral (see Note 2 below)]
  2. yuan2: a yuan, [classifier for Chinese monetary amounts], [Chinese monetary unit], a dollar

Notes:

  1. Reverse side of coin: [not visible] Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2; kai1guo2 ji4nian4bi4 中華民國   開國紀念幣 (simplified: 中华民国   开国纪念币 ): commemorative coin of the founding of the Republic of China;

    Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2: Republic of China (1912– ) [relocated to Taiwan after the 1949 communist takeover of China and not recognized by the People’s Republic of China] (Zhong1hua2: China [zhong1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: a middle, a center]; hua2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: glory, splendor]]; Min2guo2: a republic, Republic of China (1912– ) [min2 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: the people; guo2: a country, a nation]);

    kai1guo2: to found a nation (kai1: to begin, to start; guo2: a country, a nation);

    ji4nian4bi4: a commemorative coin (ji4nian4: commemoration, a souvenir/memento [ji4: to record (in writing); nian4: [written] to remember, to think of]; bi4 [used only in compound words]: money, currency, coins)

  2. Anti-fraud numerals: Chinese characters for numerals up to one thousand are simple, so they’re easy to alter into a different character for fraud (e.g., changing 一 ‘one’ to 十 ‘ten’). Because until the 20th century there was no common way of writing a word in Latin-alphabet letters or other spelling (e.g., yi1 ‘one’ vs. shi2 ‘ten’), people use more complex numeral-characters in banking and finance to prevent fraud, as the following table shows:
    Chinese Numerals
    Type / Value0123456789101001000
    • aAlso used as a regular numeral
    • bTraditional characters:
      • er4 贰 (traditional: 貳 )
      • san1 叁 (traditional: 叄 )
      • liu4 陆 (traditional: 陸 )
    Regular Numeral〇一二三四五六七八九十百千
    Anti-fraud Numeral零a壹贰b叁b 肆伍陆b柒捌玖拾佰仟
    Hanyu Pinyin romanizationling2yi1er4san1si4wu3liu4qi1ba1jiu3shi2bai3qian1
  3. More on Chinese coins: Chinese Coins on Gary Ashkenazy’s Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins site

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Yi1 Yuan2; Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2 San1 Nian2

yi1 yuan2

one yuan, one dollar

  1. yi1 [pronounced “yi4” before a 2nd-tone syllable]: one [anti-fraud numeral (see note below)]
  2. yuan2: a yuan, [classifier for Chinese monetary amounts], [Chinese monetary unit], a dollar

Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2 San1 Nian2

the third year [1914] of the Republic of China

  1. Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2: Republic of China (1912– ) [relocated to Taiwan after the 1949 communist takeover of China and not recognized by the People’s Republic of China]
    1. Zhong1hua2: China
      1. zhong1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: a middle, a center]
      2. hua2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: glory, splendor]
    2. Min2guo2: a republic, Republic of China (1912– )
      1. min2 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: the people
      2. guo2: a country, a nation
  2. san1 nian2: year 3, the third year
    1. san1: three
    2. nian2: a year

Note:

  • Anti-fraud numerals: Chinese characters for numerals up to one thousand are simple, so they’re easy to alter into a different character for fraud (e.g., changing 一 ‘one’ to 十 ‘ten’). Because until the 20th century there was no common way of writing a word in Latin-alphabet letters or other spelling (e.g., yi1 ‘one’ vs. shi2 ‘ten’), people use more complex numeral-characters in banking and finance to prevent fraud, as the following table shows:

    Chinese Numerals
    Type / Value0123456789101001000
    • aAlso used as a regular numeral
    • bTraditional characters:
      • er4 贰 (traditional: 貳 )
      • san1 叁 (traditional: 叄 )
      • liu4 陆 (traditional: 陸 )
    Regular Numeral〇一二三四五六七八九十百千
    Anti-fraud Numeral零a壹贰b叁b 肆伍陆b柒捌玖拾佰仟
    Hanyu Pinyin romanizationling2yi1er4san1si4wu3liu4qi1ba1jiu3shi2bai3qian1

    More on Chinese coins: Chinese Coins on Gary Ashkenazy’s Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins site

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Zhong1hua2 Di4guo2; Hong2xian4 Ji4yuan2

Zhong1hua2 Di4guo2

Empire of China (1915–1916)

  1. Zhong1hua2: China
    1. zhong1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: a middle, a center]
    2. hua2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: glory, splendor]
  2. di4guo2: an empire
    1. di4 [used only in compound words]: an emperor
    2. guo2: a country, a nation

Hong2xian4 Ji4yuan2

the first year [1916] of the Hongxian era [restored to the fifth year of the Republic of China (1912– )]

  1. Hong2xian4: reign name (1/1916–3/1916) of China’s never coronated Hongxian emperor, formerly Republic of China President Yuan Shikai (1859–1916; Yuan2 Shi4kai3 袁世凯 (traditional: 袁世凱 ): Yuan2: [Chinese family name]; [literally: [traditional] a long robe]; shi4: [literally: [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: a generation, a lifetime]; kai3: [literally: [used only in compound words]: triumphant (in battle)])
    1. hong2: [Literary Chinese] = da4 大 : [vernacular Mandarin] great, grand
    2. xian4 [used only in compound words]: a nation’s constitution
  2. ji4yuan2: the beginning of an era
    1. ji4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a historical record, a year
    2. yuan2 [used only in compound words (or as a dynasty/family name)]: the first

Note:

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Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2 Shi2ba1 Nian2

Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2 shi2ba1 nian2

the eighteenth year [1929] of the Republic of China [for reverse side of the coin, see note below]

  1. Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2: Republic of China (1912– ) [relocated to Taiwan after the 1949 communist takeover of China and not recognized by the People’s Republic of China]
    1. Zhong1hua2: China
      1. zhong1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: a middle, a center]
      2. hua2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: China; [literally: glory, splendor]
    2. Min2guo2: a republic, Republic of China (1912– )
      1. min2 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: the people
      2. guo2: a country, a nation
  2. shi2ba1 nian2: year 18, the eighteenth year
    1. shi2ba1: eighteen
      1. shi2: ten
      2. ba1: eight
    2. nian2: a year

Note:

  • Reverse side of coin: [not visible] yi1 yuan2: 壹元 : one yuan, one dollar; yi1 [pronounced “yi4” before a 2nd-tone syllable]: one [anti-fraud numeral (see below)]; yuan2: a yuan, [classifier for Chinese monetary amounts], [Chinese monetary unit], a dollar

    Anti-fraud numerals: Chinese characters for numerals up to one thousand are simple, so they’re easy to alter into a different character for fraud (e.g., changing 一 ‘one’ to 十 ‘ten’). Because until the 20th century there was no common way of writing a word in Latin-alphabet letters or other spelling (e.g., yi1 ‘one’ vs. shi2 ‘ten’), people use more complex numeral-characters in banking and finance to prevent fraud, as the following table shows:

    Chinese Numerals
    Type / Value0123456789101001000
    • aAlso used as a regular numeral
    • bTraditional characters:
      • er4 贰 (traditional: 貳 )
      • san1 叁 (traditional: 叄 )
      • liu4 陆 (traditional: 陸 )
    Regular Numeral〇一二三四五六七八九十百千
    Anti-fraud Numeral零a壹贰b叁b 肆伍陆b柒捌玖拾佰仟
    Hanyu Pinyin romanizationling2yi1er4san1si4wu3liu4qi1ba1jiu3shi2bai3qian1

    More on Chinese coins: Chinese Coins on Gary Ashkenazy’s Ancient Chinese Charms and Coins site

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Yong3

yong3

[Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua); still used in:] →
san3bing1you2yong3 散兵游勇 (traditional: 散兵遊勇 ): [set phrase] [military] stragglers (soldiers scattered from a troop) and disbanded soldiers

  1. san3bing1: [military] stragglers (soldiers scattered from a troop), [military] a skirmisher
    1. san3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: scattered
    2. bing1: the troops, an army
  2. you2yong3: stragglers (soldiers scattered from a troop) and disbanded soldiers
    1. you2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to roam, to rove
    2. yong3 [used only in compound words]: a soldier

Notes:

  1. Yong3 勇 usually means ‘brave’ in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) → yong3gan3 勇敢 : to be brave, to be courageous; yong3 [used only in compound words]: brave, courageous; gan3 to be brave, to be courageous.
  2. Also: jun1ren2 军人 (traditional: 軍人 ): a soldier (in the army); jun1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: military; ren2: a person

See also:

  • Yong3 (“The Train Job”; “Shindig”; “Ariel”; “War Stories”; Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume Two)

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Ai4

ai4

love, to love

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Zai4 Zhe4zhong3

zai4

to transport

zhe4zhong3

this, this kind of

  1. zhe4: this
  2. zhong3: [classifier for kinds/types]

Note:

  • Also: zhei4zhong3 这种 (traditional: 這種 ): [colloquial] this, this kind of; zhei4: [colloquial] this; zhong3: [classifier for kinds/types]

See also:

  • Zai4 Zhe4zhong3 (Firefly Official Site; Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume Two)

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Fu4yin4; Ding3dian3

fu4yin4

a countersign (second person’s signature/name-seal)

  1. fu4: [prefix] auxiliary
  2. yin4: a seal (stamped on something), a Chinese name-seal

ding3dian3

a summit, a vertex

  1. ding3: a summit, a top
  2. dian3: a point

Note:

  • Gibberish: The fu4yin4 seems to be decorative gibberish. The ding3dian3 seems to be taken from the sight of the Alliance Ground Sentry anti-aircraft gun in “Serenity, Part 1” (Neng2hao4; Mi3; Ding3dian3; Mi3; Jiao3; Ping1; Ping1) and reused as decorative gibberish.

See also:

  • Fu4yin4; Ding3dian3 (Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume Two)
  • Neng2hao4; Mi3; Ding3dian3; Mi3; Jiao3; Ping1; Ping1 (“Serenity, Part 1”)

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Fo2kei4leon4

Cantonese

Fo2kei4leon4

Sensual Unicorn [name of a real-world Hong Kong men’s adult magazine]; [literally: a Chinese fire unicorn] [Mandarin pronunciation: Huo3qi2lin2]

  1. fo2: a fire [Mandarin pronunciation: huo3]
  2. kei4leon4: [a mythical Chinese beast], a Chinese unicorn [Mandarin pronunciation: qi2lin2]
    1. kei4: a Chinese unicorn [Mandarin pronunciation: qi2 [used only in the compound word qi2lin2]]
    2. leon4: a unicorn [Mandarin pronunciation: lin2 [used only in compound words]: [a mythical Chinese beast], a Chinese unicorn]

Note:

  • In Japan the qi2lin2 is pronounced kirin 麒麟, as in the brand of Japanese beer.

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Yin2xin1yin2shu4; Fu4ke1 Jiao4shi4

yin2xin1yin2shu4

immoral thoughts and techniques

  1. yin2xin1: immoral thoughts, lust
    1. yin2 [used only in compound words]: immoral, lewd
    2. xin1: feelings, the mind
  2. yin2 [again]
  3. shu4 [used only in compound words]: a technique, a skill

fu4ke1 jiao4shi4

a gynecology classroom

  1. fu4ke1: gynecology
    1. fu4 [used only in compound words]: a woman
    2. ke1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a branch of study
  2. jiao4shi4: a classroom
    1. jiao4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to teach
    2. shi4 [used only in compound words]: a room

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Di4-372 Qi1

di4-[NUMBER] qi1

[NUMBER]th issue, issue no. [NUMBER], issue #[NUMBER]

  1. di4: [prefix for ordinal numbers], [NUMBER]th, no. [NUMBER], #[NUMBER]
  2. qi1: [classifier for issues (of magazines, etc.)]

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Zak1jyu4cung1

Cantonese

Zak1jyu4cung1

Quarry Bay (in Hong Kong)

  1. zak1jyu4: a crucian carp [for Mandarin, see note below]
    1. zak1: a crucian carp
    2. jyu4: a fish [Mandarin pronunciation: yu2]
  2. cung1: a branch of a river [Mandarin pronunciation: yong3: to gush forth (for water)]

Note:

  • Mandarin: The Mandarin word uses a different first part: ji4yu2 鲫鱼 (traditional: 鯽魚 ): a crucian carp; ji4 [used only in compound words]: a crucian carp, a carp; yu2: a fish. The word parts in Cantonese and Mandarin aren’t used interchangeably:
    Cantonese–Mandarin Difference
    Character / VarietyCantoneseMandarin
    鰂zak1
    crucian carp    		[Not used]
    caak6
    cuttlefish    		zei2
    [obscure] cuttlefish
    鯽[Not used]
    [zik1]    		ji4
    crucian carp

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Li4; Jie1li4 Mai4yin2

li4

[for this meaning, used only in compound words]: physical labor, strength

jie1li4 mai4yin2

relay prostitution

  1. jie1li4: to work by relays
    1. jie1: to take over, to continue
    2. li4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: physical labor, strength
  2. mai4yin2: prostitution
    1. mai4: to make a living by, to be paid for (as one’s occupation)
    2. yin2 [used only in compound words]: debauchery

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Jing3gao4; Ben3 wu4pin3 nei4rong2 ke3neng2 ling4ren2fan3gan3 / bu4ke3 jiang1 ben3 wu4pin3 pai4fa1, chuan2yue4, chu1shou4, chu1zu1, jiao1gei3 huo4 chu1jie4 yu3 nian2ling2 wei4man3 18 [shi2ba1] sui4 de5 ren2shi4 huo4 jiang1 ben3 wu4pin3 xiang4 gai1 deng3 ren2shi4 chu1shi4, bo1fang4 huo4 fang4ying4.

jing3gao4

a warning

  1. jing3 [used only in compound words]: to warn
  2. gao4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to report, to notify

ben3 wu4pin3 [de5] nei4rong2

the contents of this product

  1. nei4rong2: the content, the contents
    1. nei4: internal, inside
    2. rong2: to contain
  2. ben3 wu4pin3 [de5]: of this product
    1. ben3: [classifier for printed matter]
    2. wu4pin3: goods, a product, an article
      1. wu4 [used only in compound words]: a matter, a thing
      2. pin3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a product, a commodity
    3. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]

ke3neng2

[auxiliary verb] possibly, probably

  1. ke3: can [auxiliary verb], to be possible
  2. neng2: can [auxiliary verb], to be able to

ling4ren2fan3gan3

offensive, objectionable

  1. ling4ren2: to cause (someone) to, to make (someone) to
    1. ling4: to cause (someone) to, to make (someone) to
    2. ren2: a person
  2. fan3gan3: to be disgusted with, to dislike
    1. fan3: to oppose
    2. gan3: to feel, to sense

bu4ke3

cannot, should not, must not, to not be allowed to

  1. bu4: not, [negative prefix], non-/un-
  2. ke3: can [auxiliary verb], to be allowed to

jiang1 ben3 wu4pin3

this product

  1. jiang1: [marker of direct object of following verb]
  2. ben3 wu4pin3: this product
    1. ben3: [classifier for printed matter]
    2. wu4pin3: goods, a product, an article
      1. wu4 [used only in compound words]: a matter, a thing
      2. pin3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a product, a commodity

pai4fa1

to distribute

  1. pai4: to distribute
  2. fa1: to send out, to distribute

chuan2yue4

to pass around (something to read or examine)

  1. chuan2: to pass on/around
  2. yue4 [used only in compound words]: to read, to go over (something)

chu1shou4

to sell, to offer for sale

  1. chu1: [verb prefix] forth from, offer for
  2. shou4 [used only in compound words]: to sell

chu1zu1

to rent out, to offer for rent, to hire (out something)

  1. chu1: [verb prefix] forth from, offer for
  2. zu1: to rent, to lease

jiao1gei3

to hand/give (to someone)

  1. jiao1: to hand over, to transfer (something)
  2. gei3: to give, to give to

huo4

or

chu1jie4

to lend out

  1. chu1: [verb prefix] forth from, offer for
  2. jie4: to lend, to borrow

yu3

[Literary Chinese] = yu3 与 (traditional: 與 ) [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: [vernacular Mandarin] to give

nian2ling2 wei4man3 18 [shi2ba1] sui4 de5 ren2shi4

a person whose age is not yet eighteen years old, a person under (the age of) eighteen

  1. nian2ling2: (a person’s) age
    1. nian2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: (a person’s) age
    2. ling2 [used only in compound words]: (a person’s) age, years
  2. wei4man3: to be not yet as old as (an age)
    1. wei4: not yet, have not yet (done)
    2. man3: entirely, completely
  3. shi2ba1 sui4: eighteen years old
    1. shi2ba1 十八 : eighteen
      1. shi2: ten
      2. ba1: eight
    2. sui4: [classifier for years of age]
  4. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]
  5. ren2shi4: an individual (person), people (in general)
    1. ren2: a person
    2. shi4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a person

huo4

or

jiang1 ben3 wu4pin3

this product

  1. jiang1: [marker of direct object of following verb]
  2. ben3 wu4pin3: this product
    1. ben3: [classifier for printed matter]
    2. wu4pin3: goods, a product, an article
      1. wu4 [used only in compound words]: a matter, a thing
      2. pin3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a product, a commodity

xiang4 gai1 deng3 ren2shi4

to the above-mentioned and such people

  1. xiang4: to [object of an action]
  2. gai1: the above-mentioned
  3. deng3: and other, and such, et cetera
  4. ren2shi4: an individual (person), people (in general)
    1. ren2: a person
    2. shi4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a person

chu1shi4

to show or exhibit for inspection

  1. chu1: [verb prefix] forth from, offer for
  2. shi4 [used only in compound words]: to show, to demonstrate

bo1fang4

to broadcast, to transmit

  1. bo1: to broadcast (seeds or television/radio/etc.)
  2. fang4: to release, to set free

huo4

or

fang4ying4

to project (with a projector)

  1. fang4: to release, to set free
  2. ying4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to project (with a projector)

Note:

  • Also: ling4ren2fan3gan3 de5 nei4rong2 令人反感的内容 (traditional: 令人反感的內容 ): offensive content/material, objectionable content/material; [literally: content that will offend (some people)]; de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]

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Wo1

wo1

living quarters, an apartment

See also:

  • Wo1 (“Safe,” “Out of Gas,” Firefly DVD)

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Tong2meng2

tong2meng2

an alliance

  1. tong2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: together, in common
  2. 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 Press Kit)
  • Tong2meng2 Gong1gong4 Cai2chan3 (Firefly Press Kit)

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Yi4 Ru2 Wan4 Xiang2

wan4xiang2ru2yi4 [more sensible ordering of syllables (see note below)]

万祥如意 (traditional: 萬祥如意 ): May you have lots of good luck and may your wishes be granted

  1. wan4: all, innumerable; [literally: ten thousand]
  2. xiang2 [used only in compound words]: lucky (a good omen), good luck
  3. ru2yi4: to be as one’s heart desires, to be as one wishes
    1. ru2: to be in accordance with
    2. yi4 [used only in compound words]: a desire, a wish

Note:

See also:

  • Ji2xiang2ru2yi4; Ji2xing1gao1zhao4 wan4shi4ru2yi4; Pu2sa4 bao3you4 chu1ru4 ping2an1; An3 ma2ni2 ba1mi2 hong1 (Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One)

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Jing3

jing3

[Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] →
jing3cha2 警察 : the police

  1. jing3 [used only in compound words]: the police
  2. cha2 [used only in compound words]: to investigate, to inspect

See also:

  • Jing3 (“The Train Job”)

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Mai4chun1

mai4chun1

to do prostitution, to be a prostitute

  1. mai4: to make a living by, to be paid for (as one’s occupation)
  2. chun1 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: love (the sentiment), romance; [literally: the spring (season)]

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nian2; yue4; ri4; chun1 xia4; nian2

nian2

a year

yue4

a month

ri4

[used only in compound words]: a day

chun1

[used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: the spring (season)

xia4

[used only in compound words (or as a place/dynasty/family name)]: the summer

nian2

a year

See also:

  • nian2; yue4; ri4; chun1 xia4; nian2 (“Bushwhacked”)

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Na1mo2 Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4; Hu4shen1fu2; Yi1sheng1 Ping2an1

Na1mo2 Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4

[Buddhism] [chant] I take refuge in / pay homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

  1. na1mo2: I take refuge in / pay homage [loanword; transliteration for namo, from namah: [Sanskrit] adoration, obeisance (see Note 1 below)]
    1. na1 [used only in the compound word na1mo2]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [nan2: [Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] [literally: south]]
    2. mo2 [used only in the compound word na1mo2]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [wu2: [Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] [literally: nothing]]
  2. Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4: [Buddhism] Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
    1. Guan1shi4yin1: [Buddhism] Avalokitesvara, The Observer of the Sights and Sounds of the World, The Goddess of Mercy [loan translation of the name Avalokitesvara: [Sanskrit] lord who looks down (onto the world)]
      1. guan1 [used only in compound words]: to observe
      2. shi4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: the world
      3. yin1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a sound
    2. Pu2sa4: [abbreviation] [full form, below, no longer used] →
      Pu2ti2sa4duo3 菩提萨埵 (traditional: 菩提薩埵 ): [Buddhism] bodhisattva [loanword; transliteration for bodhisattva: [Sanskrit] enlightened existence (see Note 2 below)]
      1. pu2ti2: [Buddhism] enlightenment [loanword; transliteration for bodhi: [Sanskrit] enlightenment]
        1. pu2 [used only in the compound words pu2ti2 and Pu2sa4]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
        2. ti2: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: to lead, to promote]
      2. sa4duo3: [part of some Buddhist names] [loanword; transliteration for sattva: [Sanskrit] existence (see Note 3 below)]
        1. sa4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
        2. duo3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; obscure character]: [phonetically used Chinese character]

hu4shen1fu2

an amulet to protect against demons / black magic

  1. hu4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect, to guard
  2. shen1 [used only in compound words (or as a classifier for certain nouns)]: a body, a life
  3. fu2: a charm, a talisman

yi1sheng1 ping2an1

a whole life in good health

  1. yi1sheng1: a whole life, all of one’s life
    1. yi1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; pronounced “yi4” before a 1st-tone syllable]: all of, throughout
    2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a lifetime
  2. ping2an1: to be well, to be safe and sound
    1. ping2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: calm, peaceful
    2. an1: to be in good health, to be safe (in one’s life)

Notes:

  1. Namo: The Chinese characters were used phonetically not for Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) nan2 and wu2 but for an older pronunciation like “nam-miu.” For reconstructed Middle Chinese (220–960 CE) pronunciations of the syllables of na1mo2, see Bernhard Karlgren, Analytic Dictionary of Chinese and Sino-Japanese (1923; reprint, New York: Dover, 1991), entry nos. 650, 1289.

  2. Bodhisattva: The Chinese characters were used phonetically not for Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) Pu2ti2sa4duo3 but for an older pronunciation like “buo-diei-sat-tua.” For reconstructed Middle Chinese (220–960 CE) pronunciations of the syllables of Pu2ti2sa4duo3, see Bernhard Karlgren, Analytic Dictionary of Chinese and Sino-Japanese (1923; reprint, New York: Dover, 1991), entry nos. 756, 890, 1167. The duo3 of Pu2ti2sa4duo3 isn’t included in Karlgren’s book, but another duo3 ( 朵 : [classifier for flowers/clouds]) is “tua” in his reconstructed Middle Chinese (entry no. 1007).

    Some Buddhists believe that bodhisattvas compassionately delay their own attainment of nirvana (end of the cycle of reincarnation, suffering, and individual consciousness) in order to help all humanity to attain it. Thought to be full of compassion, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is very popular with Buddhists and is also known as

    • the Goddess of Mercy (English).
    • Guanshiyin/Guanyin/Kwanyin (Mandarin).
    • Kanzeon/Kannon (Japanese).
    • Chenrezig (Tibetan).
    Tibet’s Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokitesvara. More: Siddham Information Network
  3. Sattva: As a word in Mandarin, as opposed to being part of some Buddhist names: you3qing2 有情: [Buddhism] endowed with sentience [loan translation of the word sattva: [Sanskrit] existence]

See also:

  • Na1mo2 Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4; Hu4shen1fu2; Yi1sheng1 Ping2an1 (Firefly Props and Merchandise)

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Ji2xiang2ru2yi4; Ji2xing1gao1zhao4 wan4shi4ru2yi4; Pu2sa4 bao3you4 chu1ru4 ping2an1; An3 ma2ni2 ba1mi2 hong1

ji2xiang2ru2yi4

[set phrase] May you have good luck and may your wishes be granted

  1. ji2xiang2: to be lucky (a good omen), good luck
    1. ji2 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: lucky (a good omen)
    2. xiang2 [used only in compound words]: lucky (a good omen), good luck
  2. ru2yi4: to be as one’s heart desires, to be as one wishes
    1. ru2: to be in accordance with
    2. yi4 [used only in compound words]: a desire, a wish

ji2xing1gao1zhao4

[set phrase] May you be blessed by a lucky star, May you have a spell of good luck

  1. ji2 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: lucky (a good omen)
  2. xing1: a star (in the sky)
  3. gao1: to be high (of height) [here, perhaps: ascendant]
  4. zhao4: to shine

wan4shi4ru2yi4

[set phrase] May all your wishes be granted

  1. wan4shi4: all things
    1. wan4: all, innumerable; [literally: ten thousand]
    2. shi4: a thing
  2. ru2yi4: to be as one’s heart desires, to be as one wishes
    1. ru2: to be in accordance with
    2. yi4 [used only in compound words]: a desire, a wish

Pu2sa4 bao3you4 chu1ru4 ping2an1

May the Bodhisattva [Avalokitesvara] keep you safe wherever you go

  1. Pu2sa4: [abbreviation] [full form, below, no longer used] →
    Pu2ti2sa4duo3 菩提萨埵 (traditional: 菩提薩埵 ): [Buddhism] bodhisattva [loanword; transliteration for bodhisattva: [Sanskrit] enlightened existence (see Note 2 below)]
    1. pu2ti2: [Buddhism] enlightenment [loanword; transliteration for bodhi: [Sanskrit] enlightenment]
      1. pu2 [used only in the compound words pu2ti2 and Pu2sa4]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
      2. ti2: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: to lead, to promote]
    2. sa4duo3: [part of some Buddhist names] [loanword; transliteration for sattva: [Sanskrit] existence (see Note 3 below)]
      1. sa4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
      2. duo3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; obscure character]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
  2. bao3you4: (May God) protect and bless
    1. bao3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect (life, civil rights, etc.)
    2. you4 [used only in compound words]: to help, to protect
  3. chu1ru4 ping2an1: [set phrase] May you be safe/peaceful wherever you go
    1. chu1ru4: to exit and enter, going out and coming in
      1. chu1: to exit
      2. ru4 [used only in compound words]: to come in, to enter
    2. ping2an1: to be well, to be safe and sound
      1. ping2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: calm, peaceful
      2. an1: to be in good health, to be safe (in one’s life)

an3 ma2ni2 ba1mi2 hong1

[Buddhism] om mani padme hum (the six-syllable mantra of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) [loanword; transliteration for om mani padme hum: [Sanskrit]]

  1. an3 [used only as transliteration for the Sanskrit syllable om/aum; obscure character]: om/aum (opening syllable in Buddhist incantations) [loanword]
  2. ma2ni2: mani [loanword; transliteration for mani: [Sanskrit] jewel (pearl)]
    1. ma2: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: [colloquial] what?]
    2. ni2: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: woolen cloth]
  3. ba1mi2: padme [loanword; transliteration for padme, from padma: [Sanskrit] lotus]
    1. ba1: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: [onomatopoeia for “Snap!” sound]]
    2. mi2 [obscure character (see Note 1 below)]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
  4. hong1 [used only as transliteration for the Sanskrit syllable hum; obscure character]: hum (syllable in Buddhist incantations) [loanword]

Notes:

  1. Obsolete character: The mi2 [Image: Chinese character] (traditional: [Image: Chinese character] ), [incantation syllable], of ba1mi2 (padme: [Sanskrit] lotus), above, is obsolete and not browser-friendly but does exist: Unihan Database entry (traditional: Unihan Database entry). Also used for this syllable is the phonetic mi1 咪 [used only in compound words, such as mi1mi1: [onomatopoeia for “meow” sound]].

  2. Bodhisattva: The Chinese characters were used phonetically not for Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) Pu2ti2sa4duo3 but for an older pronunciation like “buo-diei-sat-tua.” For reconstructed Middle Chinese (220–960 CE) pronunciations of the syllables of Pu2ti2sa4duo3, see Bernhard Karlgren, Analytic Dictionary of Chinese and Sino-Japanese (1923; reprint, New York: Dover, 1991), entry nos. 756, 890, 1167. The duo3 of Pu2ti2sa4duo3 isn’t included in Karlgren’s book, but another duo3 ( 朵 : [classifier for flowers/clouds]) is “tua” in his reconstructed Middle Chinese (entry no. 1007).

    Some Buddhists believe that bodhisattvas compassionately delay their own attainment of nirvana (end of the cycle of reincarnation, suffering, and individual consciousness) in order to help all humanity to attain it. Thought to be full of compassion, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is very popular with Buddhists and is also known as

    • the Goddess of Mercy (English).
    • Guanshiyin/Guanyin/Kwanyin (Mandarin).
    • Kanzeon/Kannon (Japanese).
    • Chenrezig (Tibetan).
    Tibet’s Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokitesvara. More: Siddham Information Network
  3. Sattva: As a word in Mandarin, as opposed to being part of some Buddhist names: you3qing2 有情: [Buddhism] endowed with sentience [loan translation of the word sattva: [Sanskrit] existence]
  4. Also:
    • bao3you4 ping2an1 保佑平安 : [set phrase] (May God) give us peace and health; bao3you4: (May God) protect and bless [see main entry above]; ping2an1: to be well, to be safe and sound (ping2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: calm, peaceful; an1: to be in good health, to be safe (in one’s life))
    • fu2xing1gao1zhao4 福星高照 : [set phrase] to be born under a lucky star; fu2xing1: lucky star (fu2: good luck, happiness; xing1: a star (in the sky)); gao1: to be high (of height) [here, perhaps: ascendant]; zhao4: to shine

See also:

  • Yi4 Ru2 Wan4 Xiang2 (Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One)

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Pu3du4 tian1xia4 zhong4sheng1; Xiao1 mian3 yi1qie4 zai1nan4; Hu4shen1fu2

pu3du4 tian1xia4 zhong4sheng1

save all living things under heaven from anguish

  1. pu3du4: [Buddhism] universal salvation (from anguish)
    1. pu3 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: generally, reaching all
    2. du4: to ferry, to cross over
  2. tian1xia4: the world, under heaven
    1. tian1: the sky, heaven
    2. xia4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: under, below
  3. zhong4sheng1: [Buddhism] all living things, the innumerable living things
    1. zhong4 [used only in compound words]: numerous (people)
    2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: living beings

xiao1 mian3 yi1qie4 zai1nan4

dispel all misfortune

  1. xiao1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to dispel, to remove
  2. mian3: to be relieved from
  3. yi1qie4: all, everything
    1. yi1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; pronounced “yi2” before a 4th-tone syllable]: all
    2. qie4: absolutely
  4. zai1nan4: misfortune, a calamity
    1. zai1 [used only in compound words]: a disaster, a calamity
    2. nan4 [used only in compound words]: a disaster, a calamity

hu4shen1fu2

an amulet to protect against demons / black magic

  1. hu4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect, to guard
  2. shen1 [used only in compound words (or as a classifier for certain nouns)]: a body, a life
  3. fu2: a charm, a talisman

Notes:

  1. Pu3du4: Nowadays pu3du4 (universal salvation) is usually written 普度 not 普渡, with du4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an extent. Also Pu3du4 普度 : [Buddhism] festival like traditional All Hallows Eve or Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in the Chinese seventh lunar month when people give food to “wandering ghosts” or pray for the deceased who are unburied or have drowned at sea. More: Ghost Month and the Pudu Rite
  2. Also:
    • pu3du4zhong4sheng1 普度众生 (traditional: 普度眾生 ): [set phrase] [Buddhism] save all living things from anguish; pu3du4: [Buddhism] universal salvation (from anguish) (pu3 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: generally, reaching all; du4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an extent); zhong4sheng1: all living things, the innumerable living things [see main entry above]
    • zhong4sheng1: [insult] [colloquial] beast [see main entry above]

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萤火虫宁静中文拼音典
Ying2huo3chong2–Ning2jing4 Zhong1wen2 Pin1yin1-dian3
Firefly–Serenity Chinese Pinyinary